Watch Beckham's appeal to fans  

This activity allows students to evaluate the problem of hooliganism and its possible solutions.

Learning aims

• Learn about the phenomena and consequnces of hooliganism

• Evaluate the possible solutions

Ask the class:

• Would a plea from the England captain make any difference?

• How would you tackle football hooliganism?

• Is hooliganism is more of an issue with football than other sports?

• Are some people more likely to act as hooligans?

Main activity
Ask the class for examples of hooliganism that they know or have heard about.

Click the Hooliganism link on the right for information about your local club

Read through the Press Pack report

How would you tackle the problem?

Present these ideas to the students and get them to evaluate how effective they think they are for tackling hooliganism:

1) The Football Community scheme (launched at many clubs in the 1970s) was to involve young people in a variety of football-related activities and help build strong links between the club and community

2) The change to all-seater stadiums and the introduction of family enclosures

3) The introduction of CCTV

4) Increased stewarding

5) More banning orders have been used

6) Greater co-operation between clubs, police and the media to find and prosecute hooligans

7) A bigger role for fans that are keen to tackle violence

8) Have more clubs control the sales of tickets for away games where trouble is likely

9) The clubs, their stewards and police should tackle racist chanting and remarks

10) Grassroots football should be used more as a method of promoting social inclusion

11) The "Kick it out" campaign lets children see footballers talking about the effect of racism on their lives

12) Clubs and police should exchange information about known hooligans to ensure that anyone banned stays away

Extension activity
Students working in small groups consider how the media covers football violence.

Can media coverage of football violence actually make the problem worse?

Plenary
Recap on the main teaching points and see if students can reach a consensus over how risky drug use is.

Teachers' Background

Real-life examples of hooliganism

The Heysel disaster

• The Heysel disaster of 29 May, 1985, led to the deaths of 39 fans and a five-year blanket ban on English clubs in European football.

• More than 60,000 supporters of Liverpool and Juventus had made their way into the ageing Heysel stadium in northwest Brussels, many having spent the day drinking before the European Cup final.

• Fans had been chanting, waving flags and letting off fireworks, but the atmosphere became more violent and a thin line of police was unable to prevent a contingent of Liverpool followers from stampeding towards rival fans.

• Thirty-nine Italian and Belgian fans died and hundreds were injured.

Other examples:

• England's victory over Turkey on 2 April 2003.

• Both England goals led to pitch invasions by around 50 supporters and there were also 110 arrests outside the ground as England fans clashed with police. None of the estimated 4,000 Turkey fans were involved.

• Millwall's Division One play-off defeat by Birmingham on 2nd May 2002.

• Supporters of six Division One clubs were banned from following their team to Millwall for the next season.

• Around 900 fans of the south London club went on the rampage outside Millwall's ground, the New Den.

Fictional example of hooliganism

• Even in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the Quidditch World Cup Final is marred by incidents of hooliganism aimed at muggles (the non-magical folk)