Back on Saturday 26th March 2016, Wrexham fans made the long trip east to watch their side face Grimsby Town. Both sides were flying high and the Mariners won the game 1-0, eventually winning promotion to the EFL via the National League play-offs in May.
However, the fixture could have far wider ramifications than simply being part of the back story to Grimsby Town’s promotion. It’s a story that could affect fans across the UK.
An hour before kick-off Humberside Police stopped a minibus carrying supporters at a service station on the A180. After holding the vehicle for an hour police officers ordered the vehicle to turn around and return to Wrexham.
No arrests were made and the Daily Post reported that: “None of the fans on the bus were subject to banning orders”.
A number of fans present contacted the Football Supporters’ Federation to complain that they had done nothing wrong and were deeply unhappy with Humberside Police’s actions.
We then passed these details on to our legal contacts and the case was taken up by Lochlinn Parker, a solicitor at Irvine Thanvi Natas, and Jude Bunting, a barrister from Doughty Street Chambers.
