It’s time to celebrate loyal fans instead of treating them like dirt
Wha’s like us? Nobody else in Europe apparently when it comes to getting out to watch football.
New figures show our fans are top of the league when it comes to attendance per population
We’re THREE times ahead of our English counterparts, according to a European study.
What makes it all the more remarkable is the way the average supporter is treated.
They have to pay through the nose to attend games and are routinely exploited commercially by the clubs they adore.
The loyalty of the average punter is tested to the limit yet week in and week out, rain or shine, they fill the stands like no other footbal l- watching nation.
An astonishing 0.21 per cent of our population attend games here – it’s 0.07 per cent down south if you’re interested.
Why then do they cont inue to be regarded as a law and order issue?
Fans feel increasingly criminalised despite the Scottish Parliament ditching the appalling Offensive Behaviour at Football Act.
Offensive chants, songs and banners aside, most people following their side are tarred with the same brush as the average bampot.
Take Celtic’s recent friendly against Standard Liege.
For some reason the police had hand-held cameras trained on the home support for the whole 90 minutes.
Ask Dumbarton fans how they felt last Saturday, ordered to shift from their usual seats to accommodate the arrival of Kilmarnock’s away support.
The humble football fan is always the last to be considered and it’s the same for most sports in this country.
Anyone who has tried to make their way through from Glasgow on a train to Edinburgh for a Scotland rugby game will testify to being crammed into carriages due to no forward planning. Calcutta Cup right enough.
The Open was another example of the dreadful transport links for major event s with overcrowded trains to and from Carnoustie all week.
Then there’s the Hampden experience, herded around by overbearing stewards and police whose at t itude is often threatening.
Stad ium announcers reading out an endless list of dos and don’ts about unacceptable behaviour is another bugbear.
With the dawn of a new season, it’s time to start giving fans the respect they deserve by incentivising their match-day experience.
How ab o u t discounted train travel for punters who have purchased a ticket for a sporting event in Scotland?
Reward fans by making the match day something better than being shunted into grounds then ushered out at the end.
Change the attitude, stop the candid camera stuff – the police must know it only antagonises people and creates resentment.
Stewards need to be more welcoming while extra carriages ought to be ordered up for football-special trains.
No nation has more people going out to watch sport. It’s a record that should be applauded.
Wha’s like us? We’re in a league of our own with the way we treat our sporting lifeblood.