THE confrontation between opposing fans began near the level crossing. Fans crowded to the brawl but police were on to it in seconds.

Blood from a Barnsley fan’s head poured on to the road. A brick or stone had caused the wound.

As the culprits ran off officers were left to mop up the mess as they waited for the ambulance. This was a Category C game, the most high risk. Like the players, the police had to be on top of their game.

About150 officers, almost half of the town’s police force, were drafted in with12 mounted police and a couple of police dogs.

Chief Insp Jack Hudson said: “The injury was not serious. They look a lot worse than they actually are but he had treatment at hospital.”

Match day preparations had taken a week and officers came on duty mid afternoon.

The match day commander was Superintendent Simon Torr with Chief Inspector Hudson responsible for policing in the the town centre.

His first job, at least three hours before kick off was to check out the safety of the designated away-fans’ pub, Chicago Rock. Following reports of large numbers of Barnsley fans congregating at the Court House the same was done there.

An hour before kick-off officers began to focus their attention on the station to meet 150 category A and B Huddersfield fans who were in high spirits.

Given the number, they were escorted to the ground accompanied by two riot vans and four horses. The fans didn’t seem to mind. Chief Insp Hudson said that some of them regard having a police escort as some kind of ego boost.

After the game police assumed their positions for the third phase of the operation and put on protective head gear as a visual deterrent.

Armed with police dogs and horses they wouldn’t tolerate trouble and the one incident of public disorder was dealt with quickly.

Post-match, Chief Insp Hudson’s main aim is to get fans, home and away, back on the train home. With 300 Huddersfield fans on one side of the platform and 200 Barnsley on the other it was imperative to keep control.

By 10.30pm the trains had left, the majority of fans had gone and along with them the risk of trouble. Chief Insp Hudson said afterwards: “We were pleased with the overall operation. We prevented a pitch invasion which was expected and we prevented a number of public order incidents within the town centre and allowed 15, 500 people to watch the game. It was very successful for us.”