EXCLUSIVE: Hooligans target friendly between England and Italy fans in Naples, with Three Lions followers sent threatening email by Napoli’s infamous ultras claiming 60 thugs are ‘coming’ for them
- A friendly match between England and Italy supporters was targeted by thugs
- The game is now in danger after threatening emails were received by a fan
- The news comes after fan trouble blighted Napoli’s recent Champions League tie
A friendly match between England and Italy supporters has been targeted by hooligans in a chilling development ahead of this week’s European Championship qualifier in Naples.
Concerns over crowd safety have been raised with Gareth Southgate’s side travelling to the trouble hotspot with around 2,500 travelling fans for Thursday’s clash.
Violence exploded last week before Napoli’s Champions League match with Eintracht Frankfurt and the city has a longheld reputation for hooliganism.
But while Southgate insisted that the FA has had assurances over fan welfare, Sportsmail has seen a threatening email send to England fans group ‘englandfans FC’ who had arranged a game against their Italian counterparts earlier on the day of the match.
The anonymous note warns organiser and lifelong England fan Garford Beck ‘you be warned only 1 times’. It adds that Napoli’s infamous ultras ‘are coming for you’ before lambasting Beck for advertising the game in public. ‘You advertise this game for us to see where you’ll be’ it states. ‘Stupid man you are. We will be there. 60 ultra to get you. Be warned.’
An England fan who had organised a fixture with an Italian amateur team has been sent threatening emails
The England fan was warned hooligans would be ‘coming’ for him and his fellow supporters
The threatening email follows trouble which blighted Napoli’s Champions League second leg with Frankfurt
There have been warnings that trouble could greet England fans who travel to Naples this week
Beck, 60, is now in talks with the FIGC, Italy’s supporters’ group, and the authorities, with the fixture now in doubt.
Beck explained: ‘I was going through my emails and my eyes nearly popped out of my head. I had no choice other than to get in touch with our friends in Italy to see if this was a viable threat.
‘They’ve taken it really seriously and are having meetings with the police and local authority.
‘They’ve said that if they can’t guarantee our safety then they will cancel it which is such a shame for us and them. I felt I had no choice to flag it and we’ll have to wait and see.’
He has already spent £220 on bespoke match pennants and commemorative plaques for the game, which was due to kick off at 2pm at the Centro Universitario Sportivo.
Eintracht supporters defied a ban and went on the rampage before last week’s match, following issues at the first leg in Germany. They fought with riot police and Napoli ultras, with five Italians and three Germans subsequently arrested.
There are fears England fans may be targeted despite locals not traditionally being big supporters of their national side.
Last September, Liverpool supporters were advised not to wear club colours or gather in the city centre as they ‘may be targeted for theft, robbery, or assault’ ahead of their Champions League match with Napoli.
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