Violence and disorder on the rise in West Midlands football matches as 27 Aston Villa fan arrests made – report
Incidents of disorder at football matches across England and Wales have risen by 60% compared to the 2018/2019 season; with Aston Villa named as one of the Premier League’s worst by the Express & Star.
In the Midlands Championship side, Birmingham did top the ranks with a total of 34 arrests last season, however, Villa wasn’t far behind with 27.
The Home Office figures released highlight a worrying trend in the beautiful game, one that needs to be contained before it spirals out of control.
Villa fans have seen arrests for violent disorder rise from nine to 12, these aren’t terrible figures and largely go with the trend of most club’s in the country’s violent disorder figures rising.
West Ham had the highest amount of arrests in the Premier League, totalling a massive 95 across the season with Premier League champions Manchester City coming in second with 76.
Aston Villa’s total arrests included two criminal damage offences and two pitch invasions.
The Villans also saw a total of 24 banning orders on their fans; five of them were new from last season.
New measures.
New measures were announced by the Premier League, EFL and Football Association in July, banning fans if they choose to invade the pitch or if they are found with “pyro”; flares or fireworks.
Banning orders and strict rules should help decline the damming figures or at least make fans think twice before committing an offense.
The fact a fan made it onto the pitch and headbutted Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp in a play-off encounter says all you need to know about the sharp rise in the English game.
This needs to come to a stop, sooner rather than later and unfortunately, it’s only a few who are ruining it for the large majority at games.
And whilst it’s something that will never be completely stamped out of the English game it’s definitely an issue that can be curbed.
Fingers crossed the new measures will see these figures plummet down for Aston Villa and other clubs around England.
In other Aston Villa news, Alan Hutton says points are more important than performances right now.