English football to launch social-media blitz targeting 'idiots' amid surge in crowd disorder

English football is poised to launch a national social-media blitz targeting the "idiots" unaware they face bans and prosecutions amid the current surge in disorder

The English Football League is understood to be leading the awareness campaign, and is in talks with the Premier League about laying out in stark terms the risks.

Competitions and clubs are still conducting detailed research into the notable rise in trouble within football since the pandemic, but the EFL is hopeful of launching the clampdown within a fortnight.

Final messaging has yet to be agreed but there is hope that the campaign can reach younger fans who are less aware of the corrosive impact that hooliganism had in the 1970s and 1980s.

Pressure to launch a major clampdown has intensified throughout this season, and, yet again on the weekend, fan anger boiled over at a high-profile match. Nine arrests were made on Monday and Sunday after trouble at Elland Road, police said, after Manchester United’s 4-2 victory saw Anthony Elanga struck on the head with a coin.

Trouble had flared after Fred scored a second-half goal to put the visitors back in front, having run into the corner where the two sets of fans met to celebrate. Projectiles were also thrown after Elanga scored their fourth goal, and he responded at full-time by taunting Leeds fans by pointing his shirt badge in the direction of the home supporters.

On Monday, Leeds vowed to issue lifetime bans to any supporters found to have thrown objects onto the pitch. The sense of frustration within the club was compounded by the fact they were one of only three top-tier clubs - with Arsenal and Brentford - to launch proactive appeals for fans to behave in recent weeks.

As previously disclosed by the