Villa told stewards they could miss Maccabi Tel Aviv game

Aston Villa’s matchday managers acknowledged that some “may have concerns” during their Europa League game against Maccabi Tel Aviv next month and that they were not required to work there.

Before a decision to forbid Israeli club fans from attending the game at Villa Park was made, the staff were informed that they had permission to skip their duties, which sparked widespread criticism.

Aston Villa claimed on Thursday that the city’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) had determined that safety concerns should prevent supporters of Maccabi Tel Aviv from attending.

A meeting of the SAG to discuss the match is scheduled for next week, and the UK government has since stated it is working to overturn the ban.

However, it has now been revealed that some Aston Villa stewards have decided not to participate in the game.

Villa has not commented on it.

Stewards were informed that “regarding the upcoming fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv… we appreciate that some of you may have concerns about attending work” in an email sent on October 3 by the club’s matchday safety team and published in an email sent on October 3.

Then, the stewards are informed that they “will be able to submit a one-off absence request,” which “will allow you to register your absence for this specific fixture.”

Additionally, the club makes it clear that “your contractual minimum attendance of 80% will not be affected by this type of absence.”

How many stewards have chosen to decline the invitation to the game, or whether this was a factor in the decision to impose a ticket for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s fans.

At least four working days before the game, requests to miss it must be made.

West Midlands Police said on Thursday that it supported the ban, adding that based on current information and previous incidents, including “violent clashes and hate-crime offences” between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv fans before a game in Amsterdam in November 2024, it had classified the fixture as “high risk.”

More than 60 people were detained for the violence, which city officials described as a “toxic combination of antisemitism, hooliganism, and anger” over the Middle East war in Gaza, Israel, and elsewhere.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the decision as “wrong” and said “we will not tolerate antisemitism on our streets.” Other party leaders have also expressed criticism.

Aston Villa claimed at the time that they had received “an instruction from the SAG” regarding the decision. West Midlands Police informed the SAG that it had “public safety concerns outside the stadium bowl and the capacity to deal with any potential protests on the night” (poison).

The club stated that they were in “continuous dialogue with Maccabi Tel Aviv and the local authorities throughout this ongoing process, with any decision placing foremost on the safety of supporters who watch the game and the safety of local residents.”

If West Midlands Police alters its risk assessment for the match, according to Birmingham City Council, the SAG, which advises the council on whether to issue safety certificates, will consider the decision.