We need to admit it: football fans can be truly terrifying

The decision of West Midlands Police to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the Europa League fixture against Aston Villa in Birmingham next month is head-scratching.

- JIM WHITE

The cops decided to issue the order because they “could not guarantee the safety” of the visiting supporters. So they told them they are not welcome. Normally, in such circumstances, it is those under threat who are protected. Not precluded.

Much of the aggression among football crowds is performative rather than actual. It's in the shouts and chants, the angry finger pointing. But there are fixtures where the swelling anger on both sides of the fences can boil into something more. Though in this case, it is not the overwhelming majority of the Villa supporters who are likely to be involved. Tommy Robinson, the right-wing firebrand who brought his “football lads” (his words) to London for the Unite the Kingdom march last month, has already called on his supporters to come and “support Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park” - posting on social media wearing a Maccabi club shirt.

Matches, particularly the big ones, particularly those involving long-term rivalries, are no fun to police. They involve lots of overtime, additional officers on the streets, a genuine threat of violence hanging in the air. Why are we afraid to say that some football fans can be truly terrifying?