Tony Dallas

Published: 18 April, 2013
by TONY DALLAS

Tony Dallas talks sport… and with more than 20 years working as a sports development officer he knows what he’s talking about.

PLENTY has already been said about the distressing scenes witnessed at Wembley on Saturday involving Millwall fans and the much-publicised affray by Newcastle supporters after their loss to rivals Sunderland on Sunday.

The scenes have led to many social commentators and pundits questioning whether violence in the beautiful game ever really went away.

In my opinion those that pose this question are not the ones who travel to matches with the general public.

If they were, they‘d know that both incidents are the exception now and not the rule.

They’d also know that much of the old rivalries are played out via mobile phone conversations by people who are far too wily to be having a fight where the authorities can see them.

That said, the weekend’s display of wanton carelessness cannot be condoned and has to be dealt with, swiftly and harshly.

There is always the possibility of tempers flaring up at games, particularly when you get rival teams who have a history of not liking each other.

I’d like to think most of the Millwall faithful will be embarrassed that these idiots felt it pertinent, in the absence of rival hostilities, to fight among themselves!

Rumours abound that non-Millwall supporters were in that end and that’s when the trouble flared.

However, does anyone reading this column know a football fan who could be in an opposition stand for more than 45 minutes without being noticed?

Trust me, fans have a sixth sense about this type of ruse. The thing is, the tribe mentality turns the usually level-headed into mindless followers, running towards the noise instead of away from it.

No, what we have to hope is justice takes its rightful course and the perpetrators are made to pay for the damage they cause.

What more can clubs do? Millwall, by all accounts, have done admirable work in the community to try to change their image. They’ve shown they are not prepared to tolerate this type of behaviour any more.

I think all of those caught for any violent act at a match should undertake a compulsory restorative justice session with their victims. I shudder to think what some of those young minds standing in the crowd at Wembley must be thinking now.

I believe that football needs a well overdue spring clean, from pricing to policing and a lot in between.