Ayr United have been pressured to “apologise unreservedly” to their very own supporters after sniffer dogs have been deployed amongst followers throughout a stay recreation on Friday evening. The tactic has sparked a livid backlash after the canine group waded into the home assist shortly after kick-off throughout Friday evening’s televised conflict with Partick Thistle.
Club chiefs have been met with a storm of criticism over the incident, which they are saying got here in response to issues over the usage of pyrotechnics inside Somerset Park. Footage emerged within the aftermath of Friday evening’s recreation displaying canine handlers among the many home assist, with claims one young fan – a member of the membership’s personal youth board – had been left on the bottom in the course of the stramash.
Ayr bosses have tonight moved to elucidate the presence of the canine group and insisted their presence contained in the stadium was at “no level permitted”.
An announcement learn: “Somerset Park has sadly seen the usage of pyrotechnics at each home and away ends at a variety of fixtures during the last 12-18 month interval. It is obvious that this contravenes stadium laws inside all grounds in Scottish soccer and if the membership just isn’t seen to be doing its utmost to stop the usage of pyro then the chance of disciplinary motion and sanctions will increase considerably.
“On a weekly foundation at Somerset, the stewarding group are made up of a mixture of Club stewards and stewards from exterior corporations in an effort to present the required stage of personnel to make sure the security and safety of everybody who attends the match. Prior to the Partick match we labored with a 3rd occasion firm who provided to implement sniffer dogs given there was believed to be an elevated danger of pyrotechnics getting used at this recreation.
“The settlement was that one canine could be positioned on the home turnstiles and one positioned on the away turnstiles. This ought to have been communicated to supporters previous to the match and the intentions made clear. At no level have been dogs permitted to be deployed throughout the crowd and now we have acquired an apology from the organisation in query.
“Furthermore, the membership needs to apologise unreservedly to anybody who was impacted by the canine and its handler contained in the stadium. This was by no means the intention and now we have acquired assurances there is not going to be a repeat sooner or later.”
