Fan misbehaviour a warning sign for wider troubles

There used to be a sign in Dalymount Park that read, “Stay off the pitch — the club can’t afford the fines and neither can you.” The self-effacing humour meant the sign hit home more than the sombre PA announcements before matches you hear nowadays, but recent events have brought the issue of football fan behaviour back in the spotlight and it’s no laughing matter.

The sight of a fan invading the pitch and landing a blow on Jack Grealish in last weekend’s Birmingham derby would have been shocking if it didn’t follow similar incidents in Scotland which did the rounds on social media. Chris Smalling was likewise jostled by a jubilant Arsenal supporter at the Emirates.