Once again a Western Sydney Wanderers match has been marred by reports of bottles being thrown and flares being let off. The events occurred during the Wanderer’s match against Central Coast nine days ago.
Naturally, the media has jumped at the opportunity to label this small minority of supporters as trouble-makers. But has the media been too over-eager to blow the minor problem out of proportion?
Have they been too quick to condemn ‘hooliganism’ as undesired and unwelcome?
As a nine-year-old sitting in the stands among 25,207 other football fanatics on the 28th of August 2005, the opening day of Sydney FC’s A-League history, I still remember marvelling at the spectacle.
I was captivated by the boisterous atmosphere. I wasn’t in concerned the slightest when three fighting Melbourne Victory fans in the away end had to be hauled away by police.
As a fourteen year old, I remember flares being set off by Melbourne Victory fans during the semi-final second leg on the seventh of March 2010. I remember marvelling at the orange mist that billowed in opaque sheets.
I had never seen flares before at a sporting match. I wanted to see more.
In light of the recent antics by Wanderers fans, I have started to question whether the hard-line stance of the FFA, in regard to the unruly behaviour by spectators and security officials at A-League games has really been beneficial for the atmosphere at A-League games.
Journalists have been quick to jump on the bandwagon and condemn the small minority. They have been branded as low-lifes – barbaric, disgusting, anti-social and belligerent.
That they probably are. But I certainly hope they’re at every A-League game I go to see.
The attempt by the FFA to create a family friendly atmosphere is a smart move and it is likely to bring fans into the stadium. However, won’t the widespread media coverage of perceived ‘fan violence’ and ‘unruly behaviour’ turn fans away? Especially when the media blows matters completely out of proportion?
I don’t condone the throwing of bottles onto the pitch in any way but I don’t see any problem with fans getting into the spirit of things.
The truth of the matter is that fan violence is not even a problem in the A-League. It has only been made out to be by the negative media.
You only have to look to Europe, where ten-metre high barriers have to be installed around the pitch to protect players and away fans have to be marched away from the stadium by police escorts, to see where the real problem lies.
Luckily Australia has never had a history of extreme violence in sports.
You can see the impact that the ultra-strict policy of subduing ‘anti-social behaviour’ is having in Adelaide where fans protested by having 12 minutes and 12 seconds of silence during Adelaide United’s match with Perth Glory – a symbol of their role as the 12th man.
The Adelaide fans partaking in this touching show of defiance were the core supporter group, the ‘Red Army’ (the media would call them ‘hooligans’). They were upset with the heavy-handed treatment they were receiving from security officials at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The Adelaide United fans proved something important. Australian football fans are not blockheaded brutes. It’s about time the media accept this and move along. There are easier pickings elsewhere.
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