Hereford happy to battle in court

Turner feels that Hereford have been singled out by the police

Hereford United chairman Graham Turner has said he will take their battle with the police over vicinity charges to the High Court if necessary.

Turner is unhappy that the Bulls are being asked to pay for police based outside Edgar Street on matchdays.

He told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "If the police are inside the ground or on our property, that is fine.

"But when you are talking about the A49 or the Merton Meadow car park that is a different matter."

Premier League club Wigan Athletic have also become embroiled in a dispute with their local police force, but Turner said that the issues in that case are different.

The United chairman feels that the club have been singled out by West Mercia Police in their attempt to claim funding for patroling areas not owned by the football club.

"We're not aware of any of the other 92 Premier or Football League clubs having he same problem that we have got," said Turner.

"Ours is the most extreme case of what is now being termed as 'vicinity charges'.

"In other words we have to pay for policing the land surrounding the ground which is not owned by us.

"The Merton Meadow car park is a case where the council takes the revenue from it and there is only a fraction of the cars on there that belong to football supporters," he added.

Turner feels that Hereford may have been targeted because they are smaller club and may have been more willing to accept the charges.

He insists that nothing could be further from the truth and is prepared to take this issue to the highest court in the land.

"Normal police practises in the vicinity of the ground should apply," he said.

"Inside the ground we would be happy to pay, but not outside. On a matter of principle we will take it as far as is necessary."