Derbyshire Constabulary have confirmed that Nottingham Forest's trip to Derby County will not be played at a neutral venue, despite it being a 'high-risk' fixture.
It was reported on Thursday night that Mark Roberts, the head of UK's football police, had proposed that Derby's clash with Leeds United, another 'high-risk' game, should be played at Southampton's St. Mary's Stadium. Both clubs were left baffled by the proposal and objected.
Roberts issued a statement on Thursday night insisting that story was "categorically untrue" and now the Derbyshire Constabulary have released a short statement confirming that they expect the match to be played at Pride Park, as well as the East Midlands derby with Forest.
The statement read: “Derbyshire Constabulary – like every force in the UK – was asked to give its initial opinion by the UK Football Policing Unit [UKFPU] on the risk posed by any of the rescheduled EFL games left in this season.
“The UKFPU is the conduit between UK police forces and football’s governing bodies and has a key role in the discussions around how to safely resume the season. While the UKFPU speaks on behalf of forces with the governing bodies the final decision on how fixtures are policed remains with local forces.
“Two of the highest category games — involving Leeds United and Nottingham Forest — were fixtures that the force initially deemed as potentially requiring them to be played at a neutral venue.
“Following a conversation with the club, in which a number of points were discussed, at this time the Constabulary is not proposing the use of neutral venues. All proposals for match arrangements will need to be reviewed at a meeting of the Safety Advisory Group to be held in coming days.
“The force will continue to review all fixtures based on intelligence, working closely with the club and the SAG.
“The Constabulary’s singular aim is to ensure the safety of players, fans and the wider public due to the current Covid-19 outbreak and support our colleagues in the NHS to prevent further spread of the virus.
“Officers will continue to work with the clubs involved, the UKFPU and other partners to ensure the safe resumption of football in the UK.”
