Why Exeter City will not be serving Plymouth Argyle fans alcohol in the away end | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle have confirmed that away fans will not be served alcohol in the Devon derby at Exeter City on Thursday night.

Plymouth Argyle have confirmed that their fans will not be able to drink alcohol in the away end at Exeter City for the highly anticipated first Devon derby of the season.

Following Argyle’s relegation to League One, this was the fixture that fans of both clubs were looking forward to more than any other game.

Now, it is nearly upon us, with Tom Cleverley’s side set to make the trip to St. James’ Park on Thursday night, with the game set to be played in front of the Sky TV cameras.

Plymouth Argyle fans will not be served alcohol in the away end at Exeter City

So, it’s expected to be a fiery clash, and supporters of both clubs are sure to make it a memorable atmosphere on the night.

Plymouth will be backed by a sell-out following of 1,132, with Exeter also selling out, but it has been confirmed by the club that those in attendance won’t be able to buy alcohol from the away end.

That’s because the number of away fans going means ‘there will be no space in the away concourse that is not in view of the pitch'. Exeter's concourse is outside, of course and it's not a regular occurrence for the Grecians to prohibit away supporters from purchasing alcohol, although the occasion that it is in the Devon Derby may form part of the thinking behind this decision, too.

Football fans in England have been unable to drink in view of a pitch since the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 was introduced as the authorities looked to combat hooliganism issues at the time.

Plymouth Argyle will know the importance of crucial Exeter City clash

As outlined above, this game was always going to mean a lot to Exeter and Plymouth due to the rivalry, but it has added significance when you look at the league table.

They are both nervously sitting just a point above the relegation zone, with Exeter ahead of Argyle thanks to a superior goal difference. So, three points on Thursday would be very welcome as both clubs look to get a win that could spark their campaign into life, as they wouldn't have expected to be in this position at this stage.

That’s certainly the case for Plymouth and Cleverley, who would have been targeting promotion straight back to the Championship, but that is a long way off at the moment, as they focus on finding their best form under the new boss.

Now, the focus is on the derby, and whilst it’s a shame that Plymouth fans won’t be able to drink, it’s not going to impact the atmosphere on what should be an eventful and important night for both clubs.