By Steven Oldham, Chief Sports Correspondent
Greater Manchester’s football clubs have not felt the need to follow their London counterparts and call off this weekend’s games after rioting in the city earlier in the week.
The situation in Manchester and its surrounding towns has thankfully subsided with indications the city is returning to normal.
Tottenham, where the riots began on Saturday night, have seen their game against Everton postponed on Saturday due to safety concerns.
Bury FC’s Press Officer, Gordon Sorfleet, in a statement ahead of their game against Carlisle on Saturday, said: “There are no plans at Bury Football Club to postpone Saturdays match as things stand today, however, should things develop then obviously the situation would be looked at and we would open a dialogue with the Police and all relevant safety organisations to make a final decision.”
He added: “As things stand now, there are no thoughts on postponing the game.”
Despite trouble in West Bromwich, Manchester United’s trip on Sunday to The Hawthorns is still on, as is Manchester City’s clash a day later with newly-promoted Swansea City.
Rochdale’s first home match of the season against Huddersfield is also unaffected in League One.
Following the violence and criminality in London earlier in the week, the international friendly between England and Holland became the highest profile sporting casualty of a week to forget for the country, with police needed to be deployed elsewhere around London.
Carling Cup matches at Crystal Palace, West Ham, Charlton and the two Bristol clubs were cancelled on Tuesday, with AFC Telford’s first game in the Blue Square Premier against Luton also off on Saturday following the violence.
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