Day of great celebration for Colwyn Bay

 Source: Daily Post

 * by Owen R Hughes, DPW West
 * May 3 2011

 THE seaside town of Colwyn Bay was celebrating in the sun after one of the biggest matches in its football club’s history on the same day as 50,000 descended for Prom Day.

Police were out in force as FC United of Manchester arrived with around 2,000 supporters, despite only 1,000 having tickets for the crunch promotion play-off final.

This followed reports United’s manager had urged ticketless fans to travel to the match at Bay’s Llanelian Road ground and watch from an adjacent hill.

But despite hundreds of fans swarming around Old Colwyn, combined with the thousands attending the promenade event, the day passed relatively peacefully apart from a few scuffles following the only goal in Bay’s 1-0 victory that takes them up to the Blue Square North.

Cllr Chris Hughes, a Colwyn Bay fan, said: “It has been a fantastic day – first we went to the Prom Day and then watched the match. There was a tremendous atmosphere at the match and at the prom. This is a great day for Colwyn Bay and we will be celebrating tonight.”

He added: “There were a couple of incidents involving United fans during the match but walking home there were no problems that we could see.”

Before the match supporters were greeted at Colwyn Bay railway station by two police riot vans.

Several pubs in the town centre were busy, with supporters spilling out into the streets. There was also a huge congregation of FC United fans at the Marine Hotel in Old Colwyn as supporters made their way up to the Llanelian Road ground for the 3pm kick-off.

As well as the 2,000 in the ground there were up to 600 supporters, mainly from Manchester, up on the hill above the pitch. Fan John Williams said: “There was a great atmosphere although there were a few scuffles on the hill after the goal.

“It was mainly FC United fans up there but there were some Bay lads. When the goal went in they were attacked by some of the United fans but the police were quick to deal with it. It’s a great day for Colwyn Bay.”

Police Inspector Glen Brumby said: “The match proceeded peacefully. There was one arrest for a minor public order offence.” Twenty officers were on duty to cover the match and Prom Day.