According to police sources, we may be on our way to the next brood of football hooligans. Although official football statistics have yet to be released, it is reported that there were over 100 incidents last season. That is a steep increase from the nearly 40 incidents reported in 2007.
There is no doubt that football hooliganism is on the rise, but a majority of that intensity is being seen in the lower leagues. This is where tickets are less likely and there is not as concentrated a police presence which, apparently, offers some the opportunity to brawl.
The police say that statistics seem to indicate a worrisome increase of younger fans getting into the violence. As it stands right now, nearly 300 teenagers in the UK are banned from attending football matches. The figures reportedly show that nearly half of all football incidents in Wales, Northern Ireland, and England involved youths.
The police believe that one of the most effective tools they have against an upsurge of football hooligans is the banning provision. While under ban, reported hooligans cannot go anywhere near football grounds and may even been restricted from the city or town centre on the days of matches.
More figures show that there are over 3000 of these footballs bans in place all over the UK in an effort to avert violence. That means that about ten per cent of that number are teenagers. It has been questioned whether the violence has been caused by an increase in illegal alcohol intake. These statistics are difficult to quantify though as the ways the teenagers obtain the alcohol is mixed. All UK supermarkets are very harsh on ID presence in the purchase of wine, spirits and beer. The same goes for purchasing beer and wine online. Police assume however that a large percentage of the violence is fueled by alcohol.
Saturday saw trouble after the match between Southampton and Bournemouth. There was quarrelling between people outside the football grounds and city centre. One policeman commented how lovely Southampton is and that the people there don’t care to see the influence of hooligans.