A British Member of Parliament has called on the football authorities to lift a ban on drinking alcohol in the terraces. In an attempt to curb acts of hooliganism and violence at matches, the ban was put into place 40 years ago and has remained ever since.
Beer and other alcoholic beverages are purchasable in the concourse at stadiums, but fans aren’t able to take them pitchside. However, Luke Charters, a member of parliament for York Outer, has called for trials allowing football supporters to drink in view of the pitch to take place.
Speaking in Parliament, Charters pleaded: “It’s 40 years ago since alcohol was banned in view of the pitch – perhaps it’s time for a modern approach to a modern game. The days of hooliganism are gone.
“Whilst fans of other sports can drink in the stands, football fans can’t. Limited trials of designated drinking zones in the view of the pitch could be an interesting idea. For me, we should always keep family areas free of this but let’s give fans who want to drink in the stands the chance to do so responsibly, or at least let’s have a conversation about this as a country.”
It came during the second reading of The Football Governance Bill – a piece of legislation that aims to return fans to the “heart” of the sport. Alongside alcohol consumption, another issue discussed by parliament was ticket prices.
Calling for the bill to include a cap on away tickets for fans not just in the Premier League, but across the EFL, Charters added: “There’s no greater problem in football that needs fixing than ticket pricing, and I think the football regulator should look at this in future.”
Since 2016, clubs in the Premier League have agreed on a £30 cap for away tickets, in recognition of the added costs of attending matches on the road. The MP continued: “This is all about giving back to the ordinary working people in this country, those grafters who pay their taxes working hard all week just waiting for those 90 minutes on Saturday.
“Some Championship clubs have charged away fans £45 this season, and some League Two sides will be charging over £30 a ticket next season. York could be soon playing in that league next season, and it’s just not on. Let’s roll out an away ticket cap across the EFL and National League, like the one that already exists in the Premier League at £30.”