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It’s been a great start to the Hyundai A-League season. Record numbers through the gates for Round One, a bumper crowd at the Melbourne Derby and an average attendance of just over 17,500 after two rounds of games.
Throw in the buzz around Alessandro Del Piero and Emile Heskey following their first goals at the weekend and there’s plenty to brag about.
THESE FLARES ARE FINE
However, just as the momentum builds, something comes along and threatens to derail the whole thing.
On Sunday during the Victorian Premier League Grand Final at AAMI Park, somebody who can only be described as an absolute idiot thought it would be a good idea to launch a flare across the stadium.
Yep, you read that right; a lit flare was propelled from the Dandenong Thunder supporters’ section behind one of the goals.
Thankfully nobody was injured but there was visible damage to the advertising board it struck on one of the upper tiers.
The footage has found its way to YouTube and provides the soccer naysayers in this country another stick with which to beat the game.
Can you blame them though when our own supporters are making it so easy to find material?
Brisbane Roar also had their feel good factor dampened on Saturday when the game against Melbourne Victory was stopped twice due to flares, and the mainstream media pounced, with the Courier Mail printing a piece solely on the incident.
Only a week before there was another unsavoury incident following Perth Glory’s win over Roar in the Grand Final replay.
A lit flare was thrown in to a group of people as they left Patersons Stadium after the game, resulting in a woman needing treatment at Royal Perth Hospital for burns and bleeding
Of course, both Glory and its supporters groups have come out and condemned the ‘fan’ responsible for the flare but the damage is done through the negative media coverage.
Flares aren’t a new thing in football, and there have been plenty of examples around the world of the good and bad, but with the A-League still trying to establish a strong public image their use needs to be questioned.
Indeed, less than a fortnight ago, Melbourne Heart issued a warning to its supporters via Facebook, stating that the “Possession, ignition or throwing of flares will incur a 5-year ban for a first offence on an individual from Football Federation Australia”.
A fine of up to $4,900 per flare was also mentioned.
When used correctly flares provide great colour and light up a stadium, but at this point it’s time for them to go to prevent further threats to both public safety and the reputation of A-League football fans.
We’d all like nice things but sadly there’s always some dickhead ready to ruin the fun for the rest of us.
READ THE FULL MATCH REPORT FOR THE VPL GRAND FINAL
Football Federation Victoria is investigating the incident.