Midland Fans warned to be good during the World Cup
Jun 5 2010 by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail
“THEY think it’s all over… it is now”.
That’s the message to World Cup troublemakers as police turn to one of the most famous lines of football commentary to urge boozers to be on their best behaviour.
The iconic line from the World Cup Final of 1966 features on a poster showing a hung-over drinker behind bars.
It is one of a range of posters, bearing messages urging fans to drink responsibly.
They will appear on buses, in pubs, clubs and toilets as well as beer mats in the days ahead as England prepare to take on the USA in their June 12 tournament opener.
Insp Howard Lewis-Jones, heading the region’s policing operation of the World Cup, said: “We want genuine football fans to enjoy the tournament in a pleasant environment in our towns and cities.
“Football is an emotional game, but getting drunk, getting involved in trouble and picking up a criminal record is a large price to pay on top of the wrong result.”
Fans who become embroiled in trouble both in South Africa or in the city centre have already been warned they could be hit with a Football Banning Order.
Insp Lewis-Jones added: “We have seen sporadic outbreaks of trouble where major England games have been shown before, but as a region our fans are increasingly heeding the message.
“We want people to enjoy the games in a safe environment. If they can’t and allow themselves to become involved in disorder either through drink or a misplaced sense of patriotism, then they can expect to be prosecuted.
“That may mean an automatic banning order which will stop them watching their team.” Police believe the eyes of the world will be on England in the coming weeks as FIFA deliberate over whether to award the country the 2018 tournament.
And senior officers believe anything other than a festival of trouble-free football back home could scupper the country’s bid to bring the World Cup here in 2018.
They have worked with their partners at Safer Birmingham Partnership to make sure the message is lost on no one. Pubs and bars showing the big games have been asked to ensure they have enough identifiable door staff and that their CCTV is fully operational.
Shop bosses have also been asked to maintain a strict watch on selling alcohol to under-age drinkers, with the possibility of the increased use of of mystery test buyers.
