Police urge clubs to act on fans

By Rowan Bridge
BBC Radio 5 Live

Police said disorder of trains provoked 'fear' in passengers and staff

Football clubs should take more responsibility for anti-social behaviour by fans outside grounds, says the British Transport Police (BTP).

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Pacey told the BBC clubs had to do more when such conduct occurred outside grounds.

He said clubs should pay towards police costs, ban fans or withdraw season tickets if supporters got into trouble on public transport.

The Football Association said it already co-operated on fan behaviour.

Mr Pacey's comments comes as the third round of the FA Cup continues this weekend.

'Fear'

The BTP says serious incidents of football violence on the railways rose from 56 in 2005/06 to 83 in 2006/07, with less serious incidents of anti-social behaviour up from 260 to 305.

Arrests rose for the sixth season running from 331 to 567, with 53% of these arrests being for public disorder, BTP said.

He said that if clubs sanctioned misbehaving fans it "sends out a really good message to the rest of the football fans that are thinking of potentially behaving this way."

Mr Pacey said: "A number of football clubs who at the moment fully accept what goes on in their stadia - and they're dealing with it really well - they won't accept what's happening in the local town centres and transport systems which involve their own football supporters."

Mr Pacey said disorder had a "greater impact" on trains than elsewhere.

Football fans are paying rail customers like anyone else and have the same rights and responsibilities as other travellers Football Association

"It creates more fear; people haven't got an escape route.

"If they see this sort of behaviour in the town centre, they can at least walk in the other direction and get some help. On a train they are stuck until they get to the next station."

In a statement the FA said: "The definition of who exactly is a football fan travelling to a game, and who is a general member of the public, is more complicated than simply wearing a football shirt.

"Football fans are paying rail customers like anyone else and have the same rights and responsibilities as other travellers."

It said it runs a joint forum with supporters groups, rail companies and the BTP which "has led to positive discussions on fan travel on match days".

Among the issues discussed were a charter for football fans travelling by train, it said.

The Premier League also said it was already working with the BTP and rail authorities and called the forum a "constructive opportunity for all parties to get together".