DID THEY EVER GO AWAY?

Last updated : 15 September 2002 By Editor

It (Luton/Watford) was the latest in a spate of hooligan disturbances that seem to have been prompted by the absence of uniformed officers inside stadiums. 'Hooligans know that at many grounds these days there are often very few police on duty, and sometimes none at all, and that gives them opportunities to cause mayhem,' said a senior officer involved in policing several clubs in Lancashire.

'They take advantage of the fact that stewards have no power of arrest, carry no baton to defend themselves, and are not daft enough to risk getting injured by trying to break up any trouble that's occurring.'

Anti-hooligan specialists in the police claim the rise in violence at games in England - arrests for violent disorder rose from 222 to 314 last season - is partly due to clubs employing fewer officers in their grounds in a bid to cut costs.

Clubs can hire a number of stewards for the same price as one police officer, who cost around £250 each for a typical five-hour shift at a match. Under regulations, clubs pay only for the officers on duty inside their stadium and play a major role in deciding how many are used. The police force picks up the bill for all security around the ground and at nearby pubs, stations and town centres.