Some people think football is a
matter of life and death. I don't like that attitude. I can assure them it is
much more serious than that.
Football is a very bloody game and it is also extremely emotional. The former being a result of the latter as so many usually sound of mind human beings transform into creatures from nightmares within a relatively short period of time. It is this instantaneous shift in behaviour that has produced some of the worst violence imaginable throughout decades and across countries. In 1985, the FA Cup quarter final between Millwall FC and Luton Town FC started, continued and ended in one of the most disastrous football matches in history with fans breaking out of control and causing devastation inside as well as outside of the stadium. This physical display of hatred is not limited to public property damage as human casualties are often the result too. In 2003 in Warcow, Poland one person died while 229 others were arrested after the city became a theatre stage for an organised football fight between fans from five different cities across Poland. Furthermore the riots between the Rangers and the Celtic fans at the Scottish cup final in Glasgow in 1980 caused the government to declare the sale of alcoholic beverages as illegal at sporting events in Scotland. This is an issue that the British government seems unable to fully control as the feelings about the most loved game world wide run deep into football fan's psyches. It is the thrill of being part of a collective who shares the same ideals as well as the anticipation and build up of the end result of a game that has such a powerful effect on those involved but while other sports games have more of a mellow following, football in particular is associated mostly with violence and disruption. This is an unfortunate connection especially since it causes many to dismiss the true enjoyment of such a historical and skillful game.
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