Football Hooliganism, Policing and the War on the English Disease

by Dr Clifford Stott and Dr Geoff Pearson

Pearson and Stott found that one of the problems is that police behaviour is often indiscriminate and unnecessary. They say that football supporters by and large go away to have a good time. Sure, they stretch the norms of customary behaviour – they can be boisterous and offensive. They suggest that the police understand and show tolerance of this.