'The number of alleged football hooligans handed banning orders has
rocketed from less than 700 to 1,149 last year, Government figures show.
But arrests for all football-related violence fell by 6% during the same period
from 4,162 to 3,898. There were 3,214 arrests at league matches, up 23 on
the previous year.
Stoke City claims the dubious honour of the largest number of fans arrested,
with 143 held during the year - nearly triple the number in the previous year.
The club with the second largest number was Sunderland, with 129 (down
from 166 previously) and then Manchester City with 106 (down from 148).
There were 687 banning orders - which prevent suspected hooligans from
travelling to games - in force on August 12 last year, but by this month that
figure had risen 67% to 1,149, the figures showed.
The Home Office said arrests for football-related offences in connection with
league matches had fallen 30% in the last 10 years, from 4,588 in the 1992-
93 season to 3,214 last season.
The largest number of banning orders was Cardiff City with 125, followed by
Stoke City with 107, Leeds United with 71 and Manchester City with 43.
The figures also showed 1,053 banning orders preventing suspected
hooligans from travelling to the World Cup in Japan and South Korea were
imposed by the courts, with one further order imposed during the tournament.
A further 56 people were denied entry into Japan while two were deported
because they had a criminal record and another two were refused departure
by airlines.
Just one England supporter was arrested in Japan for violence or public
disorder, and a further 12 were arrested for ticket touting and other minor
criminal offences.'