At 2273, the total of football-related arrests last season was the lowest on record, according to newly released Home Office statistics.
During the 2013-14 season, the total number of football arrests by police forces fell 7pc. That was arrests in connection with regulated international and domestic football matches involving teams from, or representing, England and Wales – a total of 2273. That represents a decrease of 183 arrests on the previous season, and shows a continuing general downwards trend.
For the stats in full visit the gov.uk website.
Figures in stadium security and safety do point out that the stats – like any stats?! – have to be taken with a pinch of salt. For instance, if trouble breaks out at a game with few or no police, then there can hardly be many or any arrests. In fairness, the released stats do admit this: “However, these arrest statistics should be considered in the context that they reflect police activity. Not every incident of violent or disorderly behaviour results in an arrest.”
Also, does ‘football-related’ get defined the same at all times? When should an offence be classed as football-related – in a pub before or after attending a game, on a train or at a motorway service station, or even on a weekend away? The figures include football specific offences (such as, pitch incursion, throwing missiles inside a stadium) and what the authorities call generic criminal offences committed in connection with a football match. This covers such arrests at any place within a period of 24 hours either side of a match. This is the second season it has been possible to include British Transport Police’s football-related arrests (total 325, a 3pc increase). These have been in the words of the authorities ‘integrated as far as possible’.
All that said, Manchester United were top of one league table last season.
Not the one that matters with fans – the Premier League – but the one for number of arrests of supporters by police. The number was 112, which contrasted with the lowest – Norwich City, who only had four fans arrested, two at home games and two away. But they were relegated. The highest number of arrests for ticket touting – six – was at Chelsea. In the Championship the most arrests were of Leeds fans (91) and the fewest of Brighton (five), Reading (six) and Yeovil (six, who were also relegated). In the third tier Wolverhampton (55) just pipped Sheffield United (54) and Port Vale of Stoke-on-Trent (53), while in the fourth tier Bristol Rovers by far had most arrested (57). They were also relegated, which might be a reflection of fans venting anger on relegation, as happened with Rovers in May. Significantly, more fans were arrested after the match, through CCTV identifications, than on the day. Grimsby Town in the fifth tier had most arrests (and has 38 fans with banning orders, more than some Premier League clubs). While several teams in the fourth and fifth tier had no arrests, the highest-placed clubs with no arrests were in the third tier: Milton Keynes, and Crawley.
Total attendance at regulated football matches during 2013-14 season was more than 38 million spectators. The total number of arrests represents less than 0.01 per cent of that total attendance, or one arrest for every 16,800 spectators.
In another set of statistics, the number of banning orders imposed on fans beteween September 2013 and 2014, Newcastle United were way ahead on 95 in the Premier League, while several other clubs – Aston Villa, newly-promoted Leicester and Swansea – had only one each. The most given in the next three divisions were at Sheffield Wednesday (18), Chesterfield (22) and Shrewsbury (21). At 2273, the total of football-related arrests last season was the lowest on record. The number of football banning orders decreased by 7pc to 2273 on September 3, 2014 from 2451 on September 20, 2013. This represents 678 new banning orders imposed during the period. Orders are time limited.
In another sign of how disorder reaches down the tiers of football – or a sign of how much more heavily-policed Premier League games are? or the differently-applied policies or differing circumstances around force areas and police Football Intelligence Officers? – 14 Lincoln City fans had football banning orders imposed on them in the 2013-14 year, the same number as imposed on Liverpool FC and Manchester City, and more than the number imposed on Manchester United (12) and Tottenham Hotspur (eight).
There were 15 football-related arrests of travelling supporters during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil (one in Salvador, one in Belo Horizonte, five in Rio de Janiero, seven in Sao Paulo, and one in Brasillia). Most of these arrests were for ticket touting.
Pictured: CCTV at Gresty Road, the home of Crewe Alexandra FC.
