Football police chief Mark Roberts urges fans to report disorder as cases rise

Supporters’ groups have been urged to do more to condemn misbehaving fans by the UK’s football policing lead amid a rise in disorder at matches this season.

Reported incidents of disorder were up by 36 per cent in the first half of the current campaign compared to the same period in the 2019-20 season, with ugly scenes witnessed again last weekend.

Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s football policing lead, has been encouraged that the sport’s authorities are being “responsible” and believes they recognise there is an issue which needs tackling.

The fans need to start calling it out, they need to say this is unacceptable and not what we want.- Chief Constable Mark Roberts

He has called for “ridiculous” plans to stage pilots allowing fans to drink alcohol in sight of the pitch to be dropped, for cocaine to be included as an aggravating factor in banning order legislation and for clubs, leagues and police forces to share intelligence wherever possible.

He believes supporters’ groups have a key role to play too.

“They can often be really vocal, but they need to come out and start condemning this behaviour as well because the vast majority of people who go to football, the overwhelming majority are just decent folk who want to go and enjoy the game,” he told the PA news agency.

“The fans need to start calling it out, they need to say this is unacceptable and not what we want.”

Morecambe’s League One match at home to Bolton on Saturday was halted for 10 minutes after an allegation that racist abuse was directed towards the visitors’ dugout, while a teenage Leicester fan who invaded the pitch during Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Nottingham Forest has been charged with assaulting three Forest