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Date: 4th September 2026
Dis Order is a Take Away
By Donald C Stewart
And so, it was announced last month that two men have been received football banning orders banning them from every ground in the United Kingdom following an arrest and successful prosecution for their role in disorder at the Celtic Rangers game some months back.
It’s not a permanent football banning order and nor, in my opinion, should it ever be. However, the seriousness with which this disorder has been treated is indicative of the way in which many are beginning to get fed up with seeing football dragged into the mire. They, and I, think these people feel it’s perfectly acceptable to behave in a manner that is appalling, disgusting and embarrassing to their families once they cross a turnstile. It is right that they get picked up, prosecuted and given their punishment.
In mitigation it could be argued that the mob mentality, one that many psychologists and psychotherapists have looked into over many years, is a phenomenon that football should be doing something about. I have always believed in strict liability meaning that football clubs who in essence are benefiting from the likes of turnstile cash should, given the amount of disorder that has been seen recently, have to take some form of responsibility for the behaviour of their fans.
It is quite clear as racism, homophobia, etc. is beginning to be heard once again on terraces that the current setup is not working as well as people believe it ought to. It is time to look at whether or not we hold football clubs in contempt if their fans transgress regularly.
I don’t believe in permanent football banning orders but do acknowledge that they are one way of sending a message. I have always thought though, that if people who have a football banning order decide to go and watch Inverurie Loco Works versus Forest Mechanics, there are unlikely to be people on the turnstiles who go, oh, wait a minute, aren’t you that guy who?
However, the message from the SFA, this time round, is clear.
Hooliganism will not be tolerated.
Given the way in which dashcams, vest camera footage, CCTV, mobile phones etc are able to pick people up, I think that it’s fairly obvious miscreants need their masks and balaclavas. But the amount of time it takes to get the door knocked in after a game when there is disruption suggests there is a process that takes time, but they seem to get their men.
When a rock is picked up, an insult thrown or intimidation is used to diminish their own club, a punishment that sorts out those individuals should not allow any club to get away with anything.
People caught inciting some form of riot should face the full force of the law, perhaps an order banning them for a period of time, not for perpetuity. I think that is an overreaction and it’s not likely to take any threats off the terraces.
Posted in: Fan's Blog, Latest News
Tags: fan behaviour, oor Donald, Scottish football, SFA, SPFL