FALKIRK chief-executive Jamie Swinney has urged clubs rally round a 'unified' Scottish FA, SPFL and SWPL opposition to proposed new restrictions on travelling fans.
Swinney believes it's imperative Scottish footballs stands up to 'completely out of touch' UK Government measures aimed at supporters' buses. The UK Senior Traffic Commissioner launched a public consultation last month on imposing restrictions to align Scotland with England and Wales, including preventing supporters buses stopping within 10 miles of stadia without police permission, and dictating that any stop at a licensed premises would require fans to order a ‘substantial meal’ before being served alcohol.
Bus companies would be required to report to ‘dedicated football officers’ with in-depth detail on supporter numbers and travel plans, as well as having windows for pre-match arrival and post-match departure restricted to no earlier than two hours before, and no later than one hour after.
The guidelines were widely shared across social media on Tuesday, prompting an emphatic response from governing bodies in the men's and women's game to condemn the proposals as attempting to 'demonise' football fans.
Swinney maintains Falkirk are vehemently opposed to any measures hindering fan experience, and believes Scottish football's powerbrokers will have no issue garnering support from clubs in opposing them.
“You’re struggling to believe these proposals when reading them, and to understand why they’ve even come around,” Swinney told Herald Sport. “It’s completely unnecessary and unwarranted. What is the purpose? Why is this even being considered? I don’t think it’s required.
“When you read into the detail, it’s completely out of touch. Getting permission from police for buses to go to games? That’s baffling.
“Clubs carry out pre-match operation meetings and liaise on estimated travelling support. It’s not like we have no idea how many buses are coming and just wait to see what happens on the day.
“The initial response at the club is we want to understand why. We don’t see a need for it.
“Anything that negatively impacts on supporters, we are not in favour of. 99 per cent of people who go to games behave impeccably. Football fans are a massive contributor to the economy.
“It’s a blanket approach over something that is not required. If the aim is to reduce issues at games, they’re going about it completely wrong by tarring everyone in the same way.”
“I would suggest a unified approach is the right thing to do. I would be very surprised if any club would be in favour of this, so you would quickly get a unified approach if the SPFL and Scottish FA led it.
“If they had consultation with the clubs and had their backing, that would be the correct way to do it because a collective voice is stronger than individuals. I don’t think they would have any issue in getting universal approval in standing against that.”
Swinney, who regularly attends Scotland international fixtures, believes the measures are yet another example of football fans being unfairly targeted.
“Football fans are already penalised,” he said. “You are treated differently to people who go to other sports, to concerts, theatres or any live event with mass attendance.
“Dating back to the 70s, football fans can’t drink at a game, but you can at other sports. It’s a fundamental flaw in how football fans are treated in Scotland.
“We are basing a law many decades out of date on a tiny minority. It’s also based on high-profile games where there have been past incidents, and this feels along the same lines – ‘let’s treat all football fans as people who will create disorder’.
“The vast majority don’t, at any mass event there will be people not behaving. But for some reason, the only people targeted are football fans.
“It’s completely wrong and unfair. It’s important we as clubs stand up against it to say it’s unacceptable.
“I hope there’s a huge reaction, and I think there will be. I hope the governments understand how angry people are.
“It was pleasing to see [SNP Westminster leader] Stephen Flynn comment personally to say it shouldn’t be considered, that potentially it’s something the Scottish Government wouldn’t support, which I hope will be the case.”
The joint statement from the SFA, SPFL and SWPL expressed grave concern over 'unneccesary' and 'heavy-handed' intrusion into people's lives', promising to lodge firm opposition to the measures.
“There's no evidence that this is a significant problem in Scottish football," the statement said. "We are concerned by the targeted nature of these proposals, which serve to demonise football fans and interfere unnecessarily in people’s lives.
“In Scotland, there are already appropriate powers held by PHV operators, Police Scotland and other partners to deal effectively with a very small number of incidents by a minority of fans.
“The consultation itself notes that the majority of football fans are law-abiding and do not cause any disturbances when travelling to or from games, yet these proposals would unfairly affect the vast majority of football fans who travel safely and respectfully to and from matches on a weekly basis.
“We don’t support these unnecessary and heavy-handed proposals and we will be making our views clear in the consultation.”
