Cocaine is fuelling football violence - here's what's being done about it

The Co-operative Society made Mark Roberts redundant in 1993. The decision paid huge dividends for British policing.

He was 25-years-old. His dad, Stan, was an engineer, and mum Pat, a dinner lady at St Mary's RC Secondary Modern School in Stretford, including while Morrissey had been a pupil. There was no history of coppers in the family, but Greater Manchester Police fitted like a hand in a glove as a career move.

He began at Swinton Police Station, the year after Salford had seen civil disturbance with shots fired at police and firefighters, council buildings and vehicles torched, and tensions simmering between "Dibble" and a hostile minority. Yet when he joined the thin blue line he flourished.

READ MORE: Gang boss planned underworld plot to slash criminal enemy inside the prison system

Now, a Chief Constable, he has been in charge of Cheshire Constabulary for a year, during which time the 22,000 undealt with crimes he inherited have been cut by half. He is also National Lead for footballing policing hence the Ajax pennant, Real Sociedad scarf, and a framed comment posted online by Russian hooligans about him in his office.

He has already made one recce to Qatar to advise police and security chiefs in advance of the World Cup in November, and will make visits during the tournament. Domestically he is liaising with the Government for tougher legislation as drug-use fuels an increase of football violence.

"We did the half year review at Christmas and disorder at games was up 36 per cent including some quite serious violence," he said. "It has been creeping up. What people think a problem is solved it takes a bit of the focus off. I have a season ticket for the Etihad an go with my daughter, I have always gone to