Operation Phantom Hooligan

[Fosse Boy]

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Operation-Phantom-Hooligan.php

Worth a read.

[Ashley]

Good read to be honest.

[poopbutt]

at least you're being honest

[Head Honcho]

http://www.fsf.org.uk/news/Operation-Phantom-Hooligan.php

Worth a read.

Oooh look!

A journalist sensationalizing the way other journalist's sensationalize football hooliganism!

[Nick]

I have been to nearly every world and european cup since 'France 98'.

I can categorically say that I have attended matches irrelevant to an England campaign such as Holland vs Latvia where I have witnessed England 'Fans' behaviour being offensive, racist, violent and ignorant.

Individuals were threatening towards families including women and children from both countries who when politely asked them to stop were threatened with extreme violence.

Numbers of banning orders is not representative of the amount of hooliganism, nor the powers required to regulate it or a measure of the need for such powers.

I have to acknowledge that the majority of fans in who went to Portugal were pretty good and also Germany but 'pretty good' for some minority of England fans means not resorting to violence when things don't go their way, not really a complimentary measurement of endorsable pro-social behaviour.

I agree there can be problems with the attitudes of individual Police personnel who work matches (usually without overtime and fairly unwillingly as would rather be spending their Saturdays with their families than getting abuse and feeling genuinely fearful on occasions) but generally, whenever anything goes wrong at footy the blame is laid at their door so I know it's a tough job to manage risk, too much and you are governmental right - wing soldiers of social control, too little and you are incompetent, negligent, children dressed in a uniform, qualified only to Police issues relating to chewing gum and littering.

It's a fine line.

[davieG]

I have been to nearly every world and european cup since 'France 98'.

I can categorically say that I have attended matches irrelevant to an England campaign such as Holland vs Latvia where I have witnessed England 'Fans' behaviour being offensive, racist, violent and ignorant.

Individuals were threatening towards families including women and children from both countries who when politely asked them to stop were threatened with extreme violence.

Numbers of banning is not representative of the amount of the amount of hooliganism, nor the powers required to regulate it or measure the need for such powers.

I have to acknowledge that the majority of fans in who went to Portugal were pretty good and also Germany but 'pretty good' for some minority of England fans means not resorting to violence when things don't go their way, not really a complimentary measurement of endorsable pro-social behaviour.

I agree there can be problems with the attitudes of individual Police personnel who work matches (usually without overtime and fairly unwillingly as would rather be spending their Saturdays with their families than getting abuse and feeling genuinely fearful on occasions) but generally, whenever anything goes wrong at footy the blame is laid at their door so I know it's a tough job to manage risk, too much and you are governmental right - wing soldiers of social control, too little and you are incompetent, negligent, children dressed in a uniform, qualified only to Police issues relating to chewing gum and littering.

It's a fine line.

A thin Blue Line

My frustration with the Policing is how they often fail to discriminate between a game where trouble is inconceivable and one where it is likely.

One particular game springs to mind although I've witnessed many was a game against Hereford, a Pre-season friendly if I remember correctly just a few seasons ago where there where at best 100 City fans a 3/4s empty ground and yet the place was swarming with police including many on horseback it was so over the top and frankly intimidating you'd have thought they were filming an episode of The Thin Blue Line.

[Nick]

A thin Blue Line

My frustration with the Policing is how they often fail to discriminate between a game where trouble is inconceivable and one where it is likely.

One particular game springs to mind although I've witnessed many was a game against Hereford, a Pre-season friendly if I remember correctly just a few seasons ago where there where at best 100 City fans a 3/4s empty ground and yet the place was swarming with police including many on horseback it was so over the top and frankly intimidating you'd have thought they were filming an episode of The Thin Blue Line.

The'll be no such Police budget for London Clubs to whimsically demonstrate their show of cash-related authority for the next couple of years.

Maybe a few Specials on donkeys.....

I take your point though mate, a lot of these matches are seemingly allocated a budget the season before as the financial year and the footy calendar don't obviously co-incide too well.

Also, the Police have to be re-active to intelligence provided by assets close to football groups and the words of those 'without intelligence -oh the irony' and weigh that up against other social and historical factors.

They also need to have all the staff available and on hand necessary to deal with any problem which potentially could arise.

When you look at the contingency planning and arrangements for outbreaks of group violence, the cost and the coping mechanisms are really quite interesting and a little scary.

[Head Honcho]

A thin Blue Line

My frustration with the Policing is how they often fail to discriminate between a game where trouble is inconceivable and one where it is likely.

One particular game springs to mind although I've witnessed many was a game against Hereford, a Pre-season friendly if I remember correctly just a few seasons ago where there where at best 100 City fans a 3/4s empty ground and yet the place was swarming with police including many on horseback it was so over the top and frankly intimidating you'd have thought they were filming an episode of The Thin Blue Line.

I remember this game.

I arrived in Hereford at around 3pm and was walking into a bar not far from the ground and overheard the barman in conversation with a cctv op just as I was walking into the pub.

It was obvious he was describing me and I thought wtf is this all about.