Home Office figures show a record number of football banning orders have
been imposed, up 7%.
The highest number of orders - 115 - was received by followers of
Championship team Leeds United.
Of the 3,387 people prevented from attending domestic and international
matches, 995 of the bans were imposed during this year.
But arrests for football-related offences dipped by 7% to 3,462 - for
the third consecutive season.
They're only effective if they're actually enforced and I think that is
an area of concern
Dr Mike Rowe from University of Leicester
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said: "A 7% decrease in
football-related arrests coupled with a 7% increase in football banning
orders shows that tough legislation and targeted policing continues to
be effective.
"However, we are not complacent. Football disorder remains a lingering
menace, and will not be tolerated."
Portsmouth came second in the unenviable list with 110 banning orders,
Cardiff City were third with 109, Stoke City was in fourth place with
108 and Manchester United, fifth, with 106.
Football club banning orders
Leeds United 115
Portsmouth 110
Cardiff City 109
Stoke City 108
Manchester United 106
Since the orders were introduced following Euro 2000, 5,173 individuals
have been banned. Of those, 1,776 orders have now expired.
The Premiership overtook the Championship for the largest number of
arrests in the year.
The club with the highest number of arrests was Tottenham Hotspur, with
169, Manchester United had 147, Chelsea, 126, Sheffield Wednesday, 89,
Coventry City, 88 and Leeds United, 76.
Meanwhile, both Hull City and Luton Town had the highest number of fans
arrested for violent disorder - both clubs had 21 hooligans detained.
Fourteen Birmingham City fans were arrested for the same offence in the
year.
Thirteen people were also held for violent disorder at both Coventry
City and Sheffield Wednesday.
Dr Mike Rowe, a senior lecturer in criminology at the University of
Leicester, told BBC Radio Five Live: "They're only effective if they're
actually enforced and I think that is an area of concern, I mean the
more banning orders you have the more difficult it is to enforce them."
He said: "After all if you want to exclude 10 people from a football
ground you can do that but if you want to exclude 1,000 then obviously
it becomes more problematic."
Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police Stephen Thomas,
said: "We now have to take steps to deal with the drunken yob culture
that we saw spoiling our participation in the World Cup in Germany."
FA chief executive Brian Barwick said: "They [the latest figures]
reflect the positive impact of banning orders and effective policing in
reducing disorder at football matches, and the on-going culture change
among the fans themselves."
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oh alright then :-)
