City-Newcastle trouble shows football slipping back into old habits

The trouble at the Etihad Stadium was like a throwback to a bygone era

In the 1970s and early 80s, hooliganism was rife in English football.

Much has been done to rectify the problem and fan behaviour has improved dramatically since then, but it appears some moronic fans are seeping back into the game.

For many, alcohol is a crucial ingredient for enjoying themselves at a football match, but some are now entering stadiums so intoxicated they lose all sense of reason.

Not much has been reported about the trouble at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday during the clash between Manchester City and Newcastle, but what happened there was an early warning for the authorities that a new wave of hooliganism may be on the horizon.

This was my first Newcastle away trip of the season, and the atmosphere in the away end was understandably positive given the club's fantastic start to the season.

However, that atmosphere quickly turned poisonous as the game progressed - with both sets of supporters at fault - before it reached a tipping point not long after City's third goal.

Banter had been flying between the two sets of supporters throughout, with references to City buying the league and fans jumping on the bandwagon, as well as City fans accusing a portly Newcastle fan of 'eating all their chips' after the PA announcer declared chips were unavailable in the ground. All quite good-humoured, you might think.

But then, with around 15 minutes remaining, the main action of note was happening off the pitch.

One idiotic Newcastle fan towards the back of the away section launched a firework - though how he got it into the ground is anyone's guess given everyone was searched before being allowed in - into the City section, reportedly injuring two home fans.

It could have been much worse - after all, it could have exploded in a child's face - and there is simply no need for it.

Police managed to keep the rival fans apart

The firework landed next to two small children and a man picked it up to prevent it going off near them, only for it to explode in his hand and leave him with burns which needed hospital treatment.

There was the loudest of bangs, with everyone in the ground seemingly startled and momentarily thinking a bomb had gone off, and the confusion that followed only made the situation worse.

The City fans knew what had happened and started launching coins, lighters and bottles into the away end. The Newcastle contingent - most of whom presumed it was a City fan who had set off the firework - retaliated with their own barrage of coins, bottles and seats.

Police and stewards had to battle to keep the supporters apart, with both sets raging and believing the other was at fault, before the trouble abated soon after.

Of course, this was nothing compared to the olden days, where this was arguably a weekly occurrence and a storm in a teacup in comparison, but it wasn't right. It shouldn't have happened and instances like this should have been long since consigned to the history books.

Young supporters on both sides of the police/stewards border were clearly frightened and intimidated by what was going on, with incidents like this no longer common.

Of course, all clubs have their minute percentage of moronic fans who go to games simply to cause trouble and rile the opposition, but it is important not to tarnish all supporters with the same brush.

Most Newcastle and City supporters would have been outraged at the actions of some of their fellow fans; most would never have dreamt of doing something similar.

If it wasn't for one moron setting off the firework, the whole chain of events would never have took place and so hopefully this will prove to be an isolated incident which is not repeated in future.

Newcastle's friendly at Darlington descended into farce after crowd violence

However, the number of idiotic fans appears to be growing, with incidents in Newcastle's friendly at Darlington, chants in the North London derby between Tottenham and Arsenal and more abusive chants in the Leeds-Manchester United clash emphasising this.

Reportedly, two City fans needed hospital treatment, one of which for burns on his arm as a result of the firework going off, while one City fan whose father had been hit on the eye with a coin took to a forum to admit he hit a Newcastle fan after the game after he cornered him at a train station.

Behaviour like this is simply unacceptable and is a further reminder to football that it risks slipping back into old habits.

High-profile racism incidents have not helped, with casual racism on the terraces increasing by the game, while crowd trouble now appears to again be on the up.

The trouble at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday may not have been the worst football has ever seen, but it should act as a reminder to all those who think the game has moved on from the 70s and 80s that work still needs to be done to eradicate idiots from the game.