Worst-behaved football fans exposed as arrests hit highest level for years
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Football-related arrests in England and Wales are higher than they've been in nearly a decade, according to Home Office statistics.
A total of 2,264 arrests were made during the 2022/23 season. The figure is the biggest since 2013/14 and an increase of 66 on the previous season. West Ham supporters were the worst culprits (for the second-successive year), with 89 of them getting nicked over the course of the campaign. 27 of those arrests were for public disorder, while another 23 were for throwing missiles.
Manchester United fans were the second-worst offenders, with a total of 83 arrests. The Red Devils also handed out the highest number of banning orders (69) last season, just ahead of Millwall who handed out 66. Overall, banning orders increased by a whopping 32%, with a total of 682 issued last season – the highest figure since 2010/11.
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In terms of arrests, Leeds supporters were the third-worst offenders with 69, followed by Manchester City with 66, Arsenal and Tottenham with 51 each and Burnley with 50.
The Home Office noted that there were actually fewer matches with reported incidents, with a drop of 6% from the previous season. But the number of high profile cases across the campaign is cause for concern.
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A Tottenham fan pleaded guilty to assault by beating after attacking Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale during the North London Derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in January. He was banned from all football stadiums in Britain for four years and given community service and fines.
Elsewhere, a Leeds supporter was jailed for three months for assaulting Newcastle boss Eddie Howe on the touchline during a match at Elland Road in May, while a 15-year-old girl was scarred for life after getting struck on the head with a pint glass filled with coins during Manchester City's Carabao Cup tie with Liverpool.
There are currently 1,624 football banning orders in place as of August 2023. 1,618 have been issued to men, and 1,133 to those aged between 18 and 34. Arrest and banning order figures had been dropping consistently pretty much every season sine 2010, but the numbers have shot up post-Covid.
In 2018/19, the last season pre-Covid not to be disrupted by lockdowns, there were 1,381 football-related arrests. In 2021/22 that number rose to 2,198, and increased again last season.
Incidents of hate crime, however, fell, with a total of 370 reported to police, down from 384 the season before. Race hate crimes made up 248 of the total last season, down from 383 the season before. Sexual orientation hate crime was up to 119 incidents though from 106 the season before. Religious hate crime increased from 14 to 21 last season, while disability hate crime rose from eight to 15, and gender identity from three to four.
Possession of Class A drugs accounted for 200 arrests during the 2022-23 season, while there were 101 arrests in England and Wales relating to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. No arrests were made in connection with this summer's Women's World Cup.
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Speaking about the findings, Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: "It is so important for our communities that fans can go to watch their club play without fear for their safety. With more people banned from football for their criminal acts and illegal drug taking being tackled, we will continue to make football safer for supporters up and down the country."
- Premier League
- West Ham FC
- Police
- Manchester United FC
- Leeds United FC
- Championship
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