Leeds United urged to lead by example as ‘disaster chants’ to be criminalised in English football

Terrace chants and other behaviour seen to taunt or mock football tragedies could carry a criminal charge from the beginning of the 2023/24 football season after new legislation was introduced this week in-line with the Crown Prosecution Service.

Beginning this weekend, fans found guilty of ‘football tragedy abuse’ could be issued with stadium bans and a criminal record, as part of new legislation ratified by the Football Association, EFL and Premier League.

It follows an increase in recorded incidents relating to tragedies suffered by football clubs across the country, including Liverpool, Manchester United and Leeds United.

Earlier this year, Man United and Leeds released a joint statement condemning ‘completely unacceptable’ chanting by both sets of supporters at Old Trafford as either side was antagonised by the other with songs relating to the 1958 Munich air disaster and the killing of Leeds supporters Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul.

An FA statement this week read: “To challenge the totally unacceptable presence of football tragedy abuse, for season 2023-24, regulation changes and tough new measures have been introduced which will see people who are found to have committed offences face stadium bans and potential criminal prosecution.

“The issue is focused on offensive chanting, gesturing and displaying offensive messages based on football-related tragedies, which causes significant distress to the victims’ families, survivors and affected-club supporters. Football authorities, supporter groups and law enforcement organisations, including the police and CPS, have united to crack down on fans who participate in this vile form of abuse.”

Leeds United supporter and occasional spokesperson for the Loftus and Speight families Gareth Senior, has been in consultation with the relevant footballing authorities, providing anecdotal evidence relating to disaster chanting, which has contributed to the new legislation.

Speaking to the YEP, Senior – who was in Istanbul on April 5, 2000 – shared his observations imploring supporters of all clubs to think twice before engaging in unsavoury behaviour in the stands and outside football stadiums.

“I think there’s been a rise in in disaster chanting over the last few years. I’ve certainly noticed a massive difference since we’ve been back in the Premier League. Certainly the two games that we had against Manchester United [February 2023] when we had them on the Wednesday night at Old Trafford, and then in Leeds on the Sunday. The chants around Istanbul and Munich were very prevalent inside and outside the ground. And they became sort of tit-for-tat and louder and more abusive,” Senior says, adding he has witnessed chants relating to the tragic events in Istanbul from groups of fans whose clubs do not share a historic rivalry with Leeds.

He acknowledges it is a much wider issue than something simply to do with Leeds and references recent studies relating to opposition fans’ conduct at Anfield regarding the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

“The Premier League set up the football disasters committee, which works with all the clubs. Initially, Leeds United were not involved on that list. Liverpool were on the list with [the] Hillsborough [disaster], Man United with Munich [air disaster], Bradford with the fire, Cardiff with the death of Emiliano Sala. It was initially set up to put an end to that.