Top cop's call to toughen up footie banning orders amid surge in violence among teen fans

Scottish Sun

6 days ago

Police chiefs want easier access and heavier punishments for louts
PYRO MANIACS Top cop's call to toughen up footie banning orders amid surge in violence among teen fans
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TOUGHER footie banning orders are needed to tackle an alarming surge in violence and pyro offences by teenage fans of Scots lower league clubs, a top cop says.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell issued the warning days after yobs brawled in the street before the SPFL Premiership play-off tie between Ross County and Livingston.
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01FEB25 Dunfermline’s fans at the start. Dunfermline 3 v 1 Raith Rovers , Scottish Championship game played 1/2/2024 at East End Park.
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Assistant Chief Constable Alan Waddell wants to make it easier for courts to serve tougher punishments on louts
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Ultras groups down the divisions have marred games with fighting and pyro
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Partick Thistle keeper ignores a smoke bomb hurled onto the pitch during the clash with Ayr United
It followed a series of 'shocking' incidents involving matches in the Championship, League One, League Two — and even at Junior level.
ACC Waddell, who heads football policing operations across Scotland, said: 'We are aware of the importance of football to our communities.
"But some of the scenes over the last year have been shocking.
"There have been pitch incursions and violence recently inside grounds.
"And outside them, there have been disturbances leading to concerns and increased reports about fan behaviour.
"The challenge with disorder at lower-level matches is that we would not ordinarily have police resources at them.
"It means that we have to take officers out of communities to try to deal with this.'
Attendances in the Championship, Leagues One and Two rocketed by more than 65 per cent in the last 11 years to a record 985,287 last season.
But among the new faces inside grounds are groups keen to replicate the ultras of Celtic's Green Brigade and Rangers' Union Bears.
Some have embraced hooliganism — wearing masks and hoods, attacking rival supporters and setting off flares and smoke bombs.
Moment Scottish football ultras have megaphone confiscated
ACC Waddell is keen to see the yobs being kept away from matches.
He told The Scottish Sun on Sunday: 'In England, it's much easier for a football banning order to be issued.
"There's an expectation the courts will do that.
"However, that's not the same in Scotland.
"We are keen to see the legislation being explored further here.
"It's in the Scottish Government's plan for the next few years.
"We've worked really closely with them.
"And we've been inviting sheriffs and procurator fiscals to matches.
"We want them to understand the complexities of policing games.
"We're trying to get the criminal justice system in a place where we can work together to address these issues.'
Last Monday, more than 20 ultras linked to Ross County and Livingston threw punches and attacked each other with poles and makeshift weapons in Dingwall, Easter Ross.
Kenan Widdows, 24, of nearby Invergordon, was caught up in the chaos.
He said: 'Boys from both sides were really lucky nobody was hurt considering weapons were used and bottles were thrown.'
Earlier this month a cop required medical attention after being injured when Ayr United and Partick Thistle fans scrapped before their play-off clash.
During the match at Somerset Park four young fans were hurt by pyros and home goalie Josh Clarke, 20, was shoved by a Jags supporter who'd ran onto the pitch.
Greenock Morton revealed they'd hit seven fans with two-year bans following trouble at several games.
Club chiefs said they were left with 'no choice but to take action'.
Flares were hurled onto the pitch at Partick Thistle, narrowly missing kids, and a lad of 13 was attacked outside.
Security was stepped up at Ton's Cappielow Park ground, with stewards checking for flares and smoke bombs.
Four fans, three of them just 13, were nabbed in February by cops for having pyros at the Raith v Dunfermline league clash at Stark's Park.
Ultras also let off smoke devices at Falkirk v Dunfermline in March.
League One's bottom side Dumbarton barred all unaccompanied kids after ultras set off flares inside and outside their stadium during a game against Montrose, leaving some spectators needing medical attention.
League Two side Spartans launched a 'School for Ultras' after kids said they wanted to get together to write songs and paint banners.
But it had to be axed over fears they would be targeted by rivals.
Even Junior football was affected.
Masked hooligans were caught on CCTV hurling fireworks into a petrol station shop after being ejected from Newmains United Community FC's West of Scotland First Division clash with Carluke Rovers.
Scots courts have issued more than 150 football banning orders to fans of lower league sides since 2012.
But last night Stuart Murphy, chief exec of the Scottish Football Supporters Association, warned the chaos could lead to diehard fans opting to stay away.
He said: 'Long-standing season ticket holders at clubs are thinking twice about renewing due to the behaviour of some people.
These supporters are the lifeblood of our clubs but this is especially true for many teams in the lower divisions.
But they are sick of illegal pyro use inside and outside grounds.
It seems the game is secondary for some ultras.
Nobody should need to worry about their kids or grandkids being burned by flares or being beaten up at a football match.'
Kennie Young, assistant secretary of the Scottish Junior Football Association, said: 'Kids are just copying what they see fans of the biggest teams do on the telly.
Clubs need to engage with them and tell them pyro is unacceptable, give them their own section and teach them responsibilities.'
An SPFL spokesman said: 'We have repeatedly stated that pyrotechnics are illegal and unsafe and have no place at our matches.
We wholeheartedly support the increased use of football banning orders for unacceptable behaviour.'