The cost of policing Huddersfield’s Town’s home games during the club’s first season in the Premier League has cost it almost £300,000 ... but taxpayers have had to pay far more than that.
West Yorkshire Police was left with a bill of around £650,000 for policing 19 Premier League games and three cup games played at the John Smith’s Stadium.
The Force charged the club just under £300,000 for policing those games, according to information revealed following a Freedom of Information request.
According to the figures the costliest game to police - £69,596 - was the Town v Manchester United FA Cup game on February 17 this year. The Force charged the club just over £30,000 for policing costs.
The top 10 most expensive games to police were:
1 £69,596: Town v Manchester United on February 17
2 £53,503: Town v West Ham United on January 13
3 £52,551: Town v Manchester City on November 26
4 £52,031: Town v Manchester United on October 21
5 £45,778: Town v Arsenal on May 13
6 £44,002: Town v Stoke City on Boxing Day
7 £32,858: Town v Liverpool on January 30
8 £32,747: Town v Everton on April 28
9 £32,700: Town v Burnley on December 30
10 £32,571: Town v Tottenham Hotspur on September 30
The cheapest game to police was Town’s match with AFC Bournemouth on February 11 which cost police £2,931 with the club charged £1,322.
West Yorkshire Police said: “The policing outside the stadium may be either charged to the club or at public expense dependent on whether the police officers are deployed on land owned, controlled or leased by the club.”
Football clubs can request ‘special police services’ (SPS) to boost their own risk reduction measures.
“The police will decide what level of resources are required and how they will be deployed,” the spokesman added.
“SPS is restricted to the deployment of police resources on land owned, controlled or leased by the club.”
Earlier this month it was revealed that excessive drinking by Manchester United fans had caused problems for police during the FA Cup clash at the John Smith’s Stadium in February.
A West Yorkshire police report on the game has revealed that “numerous bottles” were thrown from the away stand and United supporters had been fighting among themselves.
Nine people were arrested and five fans ejected from the stadium.
The report said it “was obvious that a massive amount of drinking within the away stands had taken place.”
Town lost the game 0-2.
