Swindon footballers run gauntlet
of beer cans and stones in Italy

WINNING FINAL 3-0 WHEN
CROWD RIOT ENDS THE MATCH

A FANATICAL section of the 55,000 crowd incensed by the inability of Napoli to match the craft and finishing of Swindon Town, went berserk during the latter stage of the Anglo-Italian tournament final in Naples last night.
  
They showered the pitch with beer bottles and stones and Austrian referee Paul Schiller called the players off 11 minutes from time.
   Swindon, who held a decisive 3-0 lead when the game was stopped, were awarded the trophy by Signor Orfeo Pianelli, vice-president of the Italian Football Federation.
   The British team did not seem disturbed by the incidents, although they had to dodge flying stones and beer cans from disappointed spectators to get to the dressing rooms.
   Swindon manager Fred Ford said afterwards that the incidents were "nothing to do with us. We didn't suffer any injury and we're only amazed at what happened. Right now, we're happy about our victory."

£20,000 DAMAGE
   After the fighting, in which at least 40 police , including several officers , and 60 demonstrators were injured, police guarded the San Paolo Stadium.
   Police said they had arrested 30 people and had 11 others in custody for questioning.
   According to first estimates, rampaging spectators caused about £20,000 worth of damage to stadium equipment.
   Napoli trainer, Giuseppe Chiapella said: "Some people want to attribute them (the incidents) to the way Napoli played. But probably, they were started by the usual protesters."
   Apart from the small group involved in the incidents, the rest of the 50,000 spectators enthusiastically applauded Swindon, who played a fine, clean game.
   Signor Corrado Ferlaino, president of the Napoli football club, said after the match that Napoli would be lodging a complaint with the police.
   "It is clear to everyone that a group of disturbers carried out actions which have nothing to do with sport, a pretext to provoke disorder," Signor Ferlainio said.

TWO FOR NOBLE
   Swindon, nearly always in control, took the lead in the 24th minute through Peter Noble.
   The inside forward added the second goal soon after the interval, and Arthur Horsfield got No. 3 in the 63rd minute.
   Town played with great poise and assurance and were far and away the better team in all departments.
   When Swindon skipper Stan Harland led his side out to collect the trophy from Signor Orfeo Pianelli, peace had almost been restored.
   There were still some demonstrators inside the ground but there was also an enthusiastic reception for the West Country side.
   The game itself had been incident free although Austrian referee Paul Schiller described it as "very hard fought."
   Two-goal hero Peter Noble rated Swindon's performance more highly than their showing when they beat Napoli 1-0 in a preliminary match.
   A delighted Noble commented: "We prepared seriously because we meant to win. We are happy to return home with the trophy."
   Swindon boss Fred Ford thought his team might have been a little flattered by the margin of victory but was in no doubt who should have won. "It was a well deserved victory," he said.
   This was Swindon's second major triumph over Italian opposition within a year.
   Last September they beat Roma 5-2 on aggregate in a match between the English and Italian Football League Cup winners. - Reuter.