Football clubs demand tougher bans for pyro fans

Scotland's football clubs want beefed up banning orders for fans who bring pyrotechnics into grounds.

An expert working group has said court-issued supporter bans need modernised to tackle the growing problem of flares being set off at matches.

Just five Football Banning Orders (FBOs) were issued in Scotland between August and February this season and a 2023 law banning possession of flares is used infrequently, new data shows.

The Scottish government said it plans to consult on revising the current FBO legislation to improve its effectiveness in response to the misuse of pyro at football.

There has been an increased use of pyrotechnics at all levels of Scottish football in recent years.

Rangers and Celtic were hit with a cut in future ticket allocations as punishment for incidents involving their fans but football bosses admit "nobody has quite cracked" how to deal with the issue.

Some supporters say pyros have improved the atmosphere at games, though one survey of fans suggest most are not in favour of them and their use has also led to serious injuries.

One of the tools that can be used against those caught with flares is an FBO, which then prevents people attending any match in the UK.

These banning orders of up to 10 years can be imposed by Scotland's courts.

Police Scotland data shows that up to 17 February in the current football season, a total of five FBOs had been issued after conviction.

This is down from 37 in the 2023/24 season and 59 in 2022/23.

The FBOs issued by the courts represent a fraction of the FBOs the force had requested.

For example, in 2023/24 they asked for 226 FBOs to be issued if the person they arrested was found guilty by the courts.

A total of 504 FBOs have been issued in the last decade across Scotland with Rangers and Hibernian supporters topping the table, though many of these relate to convictions for the pitch invasion after the 2016 Scottish Cup Final between the two clubs.

Last year, Scottish ministers set up an expert group to consider tackling pyrotechnic misuse at football.

This included the SPFL, the body which represents the clubs, and the Football Safety Officers Association, the body representing the clubs' individual safety officers, as well as Police Scotland and the Crown Office.

Minutes of its meetings, released to BBC Scotland News under Freedom of Information laws, show the group was "strongly of the view" that FBOs "need broadening and modernised, with more flexibility".

The minutes added: "It was agreed by all that the application of an FBO is a far stronger deterrent than club ban and increased use of FBOs is essential to combat criminal behaviour within Scottish football grounds."

The group pointed to a 2022 change in England and Wales where the courts are now expected to automatically add an FBO for football-related convictions unless there is a good reason not to.

Previously the courts had to be satisfied an FBO would help to prevent violence or disorder at games before it was issued.

In 2023/24 - the first full year after this change was made - there was a 21% increase in FBOs issued across England and Wales to 825, though it is unclear how much of the rise is due to the change in guidelines or increased disorder.

The Scottish government expert group also suggested that shorter FBO bans for first offenders "to provide proportionality for sheriffs" would be helpful.

New legislation that made it a criminal offence to possess fireworks and flares at events like football matches came into force in June 2023.

Bit its usefulness has been questioned by the Scottish government working group on pyrotechnics.

They note it is "being used infrequently at football matches", adding "there is a challenge in identifying and charging individuals who breach the legislation".

The minutes note that group members feel the "FBO legislation does not tie in with pyrotechnics legislation".

There have been a total of 26 FBOs dished out in relation to fireworks or pyrotechnics at football since June 2023.

In its latest programme for government, Scottish ministers said they would consult on revising the current legislation on FBOs to improve their effectiveness and make sure that they can be applied in response to the misuse of pyrotechnics at football.

It is mainly members of football teams' ultra groups - younger supporters who arrange colourful banner displays and chanting - who are responsible for bringing pyros to stadia.

The ultra groups have become a firm part of fan culture in Scotland, improving the atmosphere at games though they are not universally welcomed by the football authorities.

One SPFL chairman, who asked not to be named, said clubs improving relationships with these groups is key to reducing the pyro danger.

They said: "We have got to be careful with pyro as there are people with genuine health issues who can be seriously affected by the smoke but I think sometimes the problem is the youngsters don't see the risk, or understand the impact on other people.

"So we have to work with the ultras and create some reasonable boundaries and I think we can do that within football.

"There used to be a lot more bad behaviour associated with the Tartan Army until they self-policed themselves, in a sense setting the boundaries for each other and that is where the solution really lies - each group of supporters having this informal code of conduct."

The impact that can be made by fans with pyrotechnics was demonstrated during an SPFL Premiership clash between Dundee and Rangers in 2023.

A glowing red wall of flares quickly engulfed Dens Park in smoke, triggering fire alarms and forcing the players off the park for nearly 20 minutes.

But the confusion in the stands was also mirrored behind the scenes, according to a review by the local stadium safety advisory group obtained by BBC Scotland News.

The review reveals that, just before the game started, a number of masked supporters in the Rangers end of the ground spread out throughout the away stand.

They were observed being in possession of pyrotechnics but "no direction was given to the stewards to deal with this".

When the match started, the flares were set off and the "impact was severe". The report says there was a "perceived delay" in getting the game stopped, with it also being unclear to both police and safety officers if fire marshals had been deployed.

The report by the safety group - which includes the police, fire service and Dundee City Council - said the club had a number of matters to address, including how so many flares got into the ground and why those holding them were not challenged.

It also states there was a "perceived confusion and lack of control/authority by safety officer" and that a police superintendent took control at that time.

There were no arrests at the game and Police Scotland's Supt Iain Wales later said: "Luckily there were no reports of any injuries, however the consequences could have been much worse. It's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured."