Critically discuss the proposition that "Football Hooliganism is a moral panic fuelled by media amplification and populist misconception."

Spectator Violence

Critically discuss the proposition that “Football Hooliganism is a moral panic fuelled by media amplification and populist misconception.”

There is no doubt, when the evidence, available from the output of the media, is considered, that the media reporting of football related disorder gives cause for concern. The use of xenophobic imagery in the build up to matches and focusing on the potential for disorder and associated policing problems, appears cynically coupled with exaggerated reporting of any incidents of disorder which follow.

It could be argued that predicting the behaviour of the English hooligans becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

The Working Group on Football Disorder, chaired by Lord Bassam, in its 2001 report (Bassam, 2001), acknowledged that the media could not be reasonably expected to ignore the behaviour of English fans, when such behaviour made it news worthy! But, to balance the picture, it suggested that the media had a role to play in reporting the positive side of English Support, and in particular , initiatives which were aimed at changing the perceptions of English supporters, in the same way that the Scottish media had supported the campaign to promote the positive image of the ‘Tartan Army’.

However, the report did raise the question of whether the behaviour of Scottish fans improved before, after, or during the media campaign. (Bassam, 2001). A recommendation in the report identified the need for the Government, Football authorities, supporters groups and media representatives to commence a dialogue to explore the potential role of the media in transforming the image and behaviour of English fans.

Bearing in mind the medias pivotal role in constructing the publics understanding and view of the issue, it is irresponsible to target Football Hooliganism with the kind of sensationalist reporting which adds little to the story and appears blatantly to be aimed at boosting circulation. The stories which rely heavily on powerful headlines evoking images of violence, laden with ‘war’ metaphors and ‘pull outs’ are often edited in such a way that the headline is reinforced in the first few paragraphs of the story on the front page, while the more sober reporting of the remainder of the story, which contains the facts, is hidden away on inside pages (Poulton, 2002).

This style of reporting has developed over 50 years and stems from the media fuelled ‘moral panic’ of the 1950’s over the rise in juvenile crime and delinquency during the age of the ‘Teddy Boys’, honed during the 60’s on the bank holiday beaches with the battles of the ‘Mods and Rockers’ and perfected during the 70’s with the football related antics of the ‘Boot Boys and Skinheads’. Each group provided ample opportunity for the media to photograph them in action and strike fear into the hearts of their readership.

The downward progression continued, and by any standards reached rock bottom, when in 1974, the Daily Mirror, published a league of shame, showing the worst behaved football fans ,by club affiliation. This was seen by many as encouraging hooligans to top the league.

The tabloids are accused of further helping to incite the hooligans by leading with xenophobic headlines, for example, prior to England v Germany semi final match during Euro 1996, the Daily Mirror headline read ‘ACHTUNG SURRENDER’, while the Sun lead with ‘ LETS BLITZ FRITZ’ (Football Industry Group, 2000). Often referred to as ‘clashes’ such ...

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The media create a stereotype of the English football hooligan, as a shaven headed, beer bellied, tattooed drunk young male. As mentioned earlier, this perception is reinforced in public minds when the only source of information available to individuals remote from the sport, is that provided by the media. Hysterical headlines portray English football fans abroad as a homogenous group of ‘drunken, tattooed crop headed oafs’ (Sunday Mirror, 18.6.2000).

Following on from The Social Issues Research Centre 1996 report ‘Football Violence In Europe’ (Carnibella et al, 1996), SIRC monitored the build up to Euro 2000. (SIRC web site, 2000). Citing a report in the London Evening Standard, which led with the headline ‘FIRST ARREST AS FANS FLOOD IN’, SIRC were critical of the treatment of the story, which was described as an ‘its all happening as predicted’ article. Relating to the arrest of a 36 year old man from the West Midlands, who had been involved in a fight in a bar in Eindhoven, the facts were hidden seven paragraphs down the story. Those who had the staying power to reach this point read:-

“…police in Amsterdam, where many English supporters stayed last night, praised the conduct of the English Supporters. Amsterdam police superintendent Klaas Wilting said: “ We had a great night in Amsterdam – now we really love the British football fans. It was very crowded but everyone was in good spirits and we never felt threatened”.

Raising the question of why the headline did not read “ DUTCH POLICE PRAISE ENGLAND FANS”, SIRC state that they are not asking the media to ignore the disorder caused by the violent and unruly minority, but to keep that disorder in perspective and to report positively and focus on the good behaviour of the estimated twenty thousand fans who are well behaved, and, just for once ‘ give due attention to the positive aspect of the behaviour of the majority.

Described by Stuart Hall (Hall, 1978), as an ‘amplification spiral’ (p25), he illustrated how the exaggerated coverage of a problem could have the effect of worsening it. Where society is concerned about a phenomenon, and the only source of information for many, is the news and media coverage of the issue, then the sensationalist reporting causes widespread and unnecessary panic. The tabloid press has therefore amplified the problem, creating panic over football hooliganism that is completely disproportionate to the problem. Panic leads to calls for tougher control and preventative measures, the implementation of which create further confrontation and draw more attention which feeds the media desire for a story. The unfortunate consequence of this press strategy has been their ability, to a degree, to influence policy decisions relating to tackling football hooliganism, resulting in hurried measures which have done little or nothing to improve the situation.

There is no doubting on the evidence that the media do sensationalise the behaviour of football hooligans, but to suggest that public fear of the problem is a moral panic, fuelled by the media, will require an examination of the facts, before the proposition can be accepted or refuted.

The National Crime Intelligence Service publishes figures at the end of each season, cataloguing the incidents of disorder associated with football. During the 2000/2001 season, there were 4,162 football related arrests. Those arrests resulted in six hundred and eighty seven banning orders. (NCIS, 2001). The figures relate to arrests at or near to football grounds on dates that matches are being played. The NCIS disorder log for the same season, shows an alarming rise in the number of football related incidents of disorder, taking place nowhere near football stadia.

These incidents are organised by rival fans, using mobile phones and the internet, and are often carefully planned, with rules of engagement set out, down to numbers on each side and weapons permitted (if any).

Of the One Hundred and Fifty Eight reports of group disorder filed with NCIS for the season 2000/2001, fifteen were either during the journey to or from stadia, involving supporters of a team, other than the one away supporters were travelling to watch their team play, or between rival groups of supporters on days when no game was scheduled to take place. (NCIS Football Intelligence Section, 2001).

The figures previously collated by the NCIS, are now collected by the Football Banning Orders Authority, and published by the Home Office ( commencing season 2001/2002). The statement issued on 8th August 2002,(Home Office, 2002) by the Home Office, showed that the number of arrests for football related offences fell by two hundred and sixty four, on the previous year, and were claimed by Home Office Minister John Denham to be the second lowest recorded, and thirty percent lower than ten years ago. The figures, were for England and Wales and did not include any arrests abroad. The total number of banning orders rose from six hundred and eighty seven, to one thousand one hundred and forty nine. Mr Denham stated :

“I have no doubt that the increased number of banning orders, backed up by intelligence based policing and effective co-operation between police, clubs and football authorities has helped bring about the fall in football related arrests at home and abroad.” (Home office press release ref 220/2002)

The authorities are alert to the continued presence of a violent hooligan element which attaches itself to football, and warn of the consequences of complacency. John Abbott, Director General of NCIS said :

“ We all need to be vigilant, We all need to support the efforts of the Government, the police and the criminal justice system to remove the criminals from our enjoyment of sport. Our experience tells us that the local football hooligan, involved in a seemingly minor incident, can turn out to be a major troublemaker abroad.” (Home office press release ref 220/2002)

The emerging trend seems to be a move away from premiership grounds, to the lower divisions. While arrest in the premiership showed a significant fall, the first division rose from eight hundred and sixteen, to nine hundred and seventy nine. The second division rose from six hundred and one to six hundred and forty seven. The rise in the lower divisions is attributed to better stewarding, policing and CCTV coverage, coupled with all-seater stadia in the premiership, making it easier to identify and sanction trouble makers. The lower divisions present greater difficulty in identifying troublemakers due to the standing terracing, lack of membership schemes and low season ticket sales. The subsequent sale of most tickets on match days is easily exploited by travelling fans intent on trouble, being able to buy tickets to home areas and avoid segregation arrangements.

The presumption that all English fans are hooligans continues to be propagated in emotive terms, however, since the publication of the Taylor Report (1990), the reality has changed significantly. All seater stadiums and closed circuit television have meant that incidents inside stadiums, particularly in the premiership, are extremely rare. Football related arrests have fallen significantly while attendances have risen. The demographic has changed significantly also, with more women and children now attending, as a result of better facilities and clubs adopting a more family focussed approach.

This does not mean that the hooligan has gone away. They have been pushed out of the grounds, but have become better organised. The confrontations are in other meeting places and are often more violent (Football Industry Group, 2003) i.e. Leeds fans en-route to play Manchester City, and Manchester United Fans en-route to play Bradford, met outside of Rochdale in a violent pre-arranged confrontation.

Conclusion

The media produced stereotypes have endured, and it is clear that the tabloid press in particular, although the broadsheets, are not without blame…..

‘Football Hooligans Storm Back’ (Observer 15.9.2002)

‘Football Hooligan ‘godfathers’ use internet to co-ordinate battles and outwit police’ (Guardian 30.9.1999)

…have been responsible for constructing the public perception of the English football fan as a hooligan.

The great disservice this does the majority of fans has escaped their attention, but not that of the Europeans, who can be relied upon to report in a far less emotive manner, the behaviour of the minority, in the context of the vast majority. This was clearly demonstrated following reporting of the trouble after the England match in Charleroi on 17th June 2000. British tabloids focused on the appalling behaviour of a small minority of the English fans [ the question of how many had actually been at the game was unasked], while the local TV featured an interview with the Mayor, who stated that the trouble had been no worse than a normal Friday night, when locals would go on drunken window smashing sprees. He went on to praise the majority of the English fans.

The media have a part to play in the remarketing of the English Football fan, to focus on the positive behaviour of the majority, and to keep the hooligan element in perspective. Starved of the publicity they crave, and which the tabloids are all too willing to give them, their days could well be numbered.

Yes, the media action could be seen to be stirring up a moral panic, but the statistics from reliable sources show that the hooligan is alive and well, and the tabloids can argue that they are reporting the facts. It is the language they use which is distorting the image.

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References

Bassam, Lord (2001), Working Group on Football Disorder, Report and Recommendations, London, Home Office,

Carnibella G., Fox A., Fox K., McCann J., Marsh J., Marsh P. (1996), Football Violence In Europe, a report to the Amsterdam Group, Oxford, The Social Issues Research Centre

Football Industry Group, (2002), FIG Fact Sheet 4 : Hooliganism,

Hall S., (1978), The treatment of football hooliganism in the press. in Ingham R.(ed), Football Hooliganism: The wider context. London, Interaction

Home Office, (2002), Banning Orders and Partnership between police and Football Authorities are key to tackling disorder, Home Office press release, 8.8.2002

NCIS, (2001), Football Disorder Log for Season 2000/2001, London, National Crime Intelligence Service Football Intelligence Section.

Poulton E. (2002), Tears, Tantrums and Tattoos : Framing the Hooligan, in Perryman M (ed) Hooligan Wars : Causes and Effects of Football Violence, pp121-138, Edinburgh, Mainstream Publishing

SIRC, (2000), The stage is set for Euro 2000,

Taylor P., Lord Justice (Chairman), (1990), Inquiry into the Hillsborough Stadium Disaster : Final Report. London, HMSO