Portsmouth FC bucks trend with a drop in new banning orders and football arrests compared to other Premier League and EFL clubs

POMPEY have a stood out as being one of the few clubs with falling crime statistics.
By Freddie Webb
Published 28th Sep 2022, 04:55 BST
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Data from the Home Office shows the Blues only issued two new football banning orders (FBOs) last season.

This is compared to seven in 2020-2021, four in 2019-2020, and 24 in 2018-2019.

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Pompey have bucked the trend by having a falling number of football related arrests and new banning orders, compared to other clubs in England and Wales. Picture: Habibur Rahman.Pompey have bucked the trend by having a falling number of football related arrests and new banning orders, compared to other clubs in England and Wales. Picture: Habibur Rahman.
Pompey have bucked the trend by having a falling number of football related arrests and new banning orders, compared to other clubs in England and Wales. Picture: Habibur Rahman.

Both FBOs issued by the club were given to men aged between 18 and 34.

The total number of supporters barred from the club is also falling.

As of July 28, 2022, there are 29 fans who cannot enter the stands.

This has fallen from 40 on August 1, 2021, 35 in 2020, and 36 in 2019.

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There are currently 412 banning orders in the Premier League. 356 in the Championship, 238 in League One and 155 in League Two.

Football related arrests in England and Wales have doubled since the return of fans to the stadiums.

In total, 2,198 arrests were made last season, which is an eight-year high.

This is 59 per cent higher than the last pre-Covid 2018/2019 season – 1,381.

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Pompey was an outlier, with only 14 Blues arrests last season compared to 24 in the 2019-2020 campaign.

This included five people detained at Fratton Park and nine away from home.

Of these arrests, four related to violent disorder, five for public disorder, one for throwing missiles, one for pitch invading, one for alcohol offences/driving under influence of drink or drugs and two for possession of pyrotechnics.

In response to the national trend, police have intensified their crackdown on football disorder, so fans and families can enjoy the game safely.

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Jeremy Quin, minister for the Home Office, said: ‘Our football clubs are at the heart of our communities, and it is unacceptable that the game we all love is tarnished by a minority of selfish troublemakers.

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‘The increase in football-related arrests shows that police are taking firm action to stop this disorder and preserve the enjoyment of the game for fans and families which I wholeheartedly support.’

Chief constable Mark Roberts, National Police Chiefs Council lead for football policing, said ‘disorder is a problem that has not gone away’.

He added: ‘We collectively need to make football a safe environment for the overwhelming majority of supporters who just want to enjoy the game.’

Portsmouth FC were approached for comment.