The UK's top cop for football policing is hoping England's trip to Germany will be a peaceful one - after a surge in disorder over the last season. Cheshire Police chief constable Mark Roberts, who grew up in Stretford, is football lead on the National Police Chiefs Council.
This week, he is travelling to Munich, to keep an eye on proceedings when Germany take on England in the UEFA Nations League. As many as 3,466 England supporters hold tickets for the match at the Allianz Arena, with many more expected to travel to Bavaria.
England manager Gareth Southgate has already urged fans to behave - telling reporters that his players are 'embarrassed' when they hear of fan trouble. Chf Con Roberts' attendance will be to work with local police in Munich to 'make sure nothing goes wrong' and prevent difficult situations - as well as gathering intelligence if trouble does flare up.
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A lifelong Manchester City fan, Chf Con Roberts worked closely with rivals United while serving in the Trafford division at Greater Manchester Police. He recalls a previous trip to Munich with United, when German public order officers were preparing to enter a bierkeller where staff were beginning to deem its English customers too rowdy.
"They had been happy to have them in there drinking all day," said Chf Con Roberts. "We told them if they wanted United fans out, they should stop serving them - they would go somewhere else."
He says it is an example of the type of approach that can stop potential incidents flaring up and help to ensure all supporters can enjoy their time abroad safely. Chf Con Roberts believes that generally, German policing of public order is 'more towards a British style' than seen in some other European countries, such as France.
This international break comes less than a fortnight after chaos unfolded before the Champions League final in Paris, which saw Liverpool fans tear-gassed by police in distressing scenes before the match against Real Madrid. With investigations underway, Chf Con Watson declined to comment on the specific events, but admitted that generally police across the Channel are quick to use teargas.
"Certainly I have been in France a number of times with United and England and the French do tend to resort to teargas very early on in the piece," he said. "They have public order officers walking around with fire extinguishers of pepper spray - we wouldn't use it in that way.
"I think in France it's a shorter fuse than most where you are not going to get successive warnings. That's how they treat their own citizens, it's how they operate for public order."
Closer to home, there has been an alarming trend of disorder in English football, with shocking high-profile incidents at the end of the season. Nottingham Forest season ticket holder Robert Biggs, 30, of Church View, Ilkeston, was jailed for 24 weeks after headbutting Sheffield United player Billy Sharp during a pitch invasion which followed Forest's play-off semi final victory.
Other pitch invasions saw Crystal Palace manager Patrick Viera retaliate after being goaded by an Everton supporter, while a flare was thrown at players after the League Two play-off semi final between Northampton and Mansfield. The incidents come as English football is now experiencing 'more disorder than we have seen in a long time', Chf Con Watson says.
Use of cocaine among supporters is fuelling some of the violence, and Chf Con Watson has welcomed plans from the government to include possession of class A drugs as a reason to impose football banning orders. But with a recent spike in incidents, he believes more work needs to be done.
"We've seen pitch invasions which are really challenging because most people want to celebrate, but in the midst of that we've had people that have assaulted players," said Chf Con Watson. "It's really difficult for clubs to work out if people are going to celebrate or not.
"I think we are going to get to the stage where people can't come onto the pitch. Fan groups need to accept that you can't go onto the pitch, some players need to step forward as well because in some incidents we've had clubs coming out making comments about security but we've had players that won't give us statements.
"Billy Sharp was really supportive of the police. He gave a statement, that meant we could get the person in question arrested and they are now in prison and with a banning order."
The officer is also worried about the growing use of flares at games - with incidents including Everton forward Richarlison throwing a lit flare into the crowd last month. He says the objects can 'blow off' fingers, cause burns and trigger breathing issues.
"We've had repeated conversations with broadcasters to say don't glorify the use of pyrotechnics," said Chf Con Watson. "They are dangerous.
"It really doesn't help when some broadcasters show them and say 'what a great atmosphere'. It also doesn't help when some players display utter stupidity by picking flares up as well."
For England, this round of international fixtures will be one of the last before the World Cup. Usually held in the summer, the climate in host country Qatar means the tournament is instead being held in November and December.
Supporters travelling out to the Arab country will also be faced with local laws banning being drunk in public. Chf Con Watson believes the tournament could be a 'great opportunity' for fans hoping to travel to enjoy the games - but wants supporters to be aware of cultural and legal differences to Europe.
"It's going to be a very different cultural experience," he said. "Fans need to recognise that while Qatar want to be good hosts - they will be able to drink in some hotels and there are suggestions they will be able to drink at some fan zones - that is really the limit of it.
"There are no off-licences, you will not be able to drink on the streets. Penalties for offences like drug distribution are by our standards very harsh and people need to understand that public drunkenness and possession of drugs is not going to be accepted.
"We know that when England travel to harder-to-reach places - like Brazil or Russia - it's the hardcore fans that don't cause us problems [who attend]. I think this World Cup will be the same and I think they will have a good time, but if people think they are going to a party then it is probably not the World Cup for them."
