A WELL Society board member has called for an “adult” debate on the introduction of safe pyrotechnics sections inside Scottish football stadiums and predicted a move towards the system that is in place in Norway would snuff out their illegal use at matches.
Derek Watson, a lifelong Motherwell supporter who has been on the board of the community ownership group since 2018, has visited the Scandinavian nation and seen first hand how clubs there allow fans to set off flares and smoke canisters in a controlled environment.
He revealed that he has held positive talks with directors at Motherwell about “safe pyro” and that similar constructive conversations had taken place between supporters and senior officials at many other Scottish clubs.
He was disappointed when David Hamilton of the Scottish Police Federation this week stated that clubs could face ground closures if they fail to tackle what is an escalating problem and argued that continuing to take a heavy-handed approach to pyrotechnic use at football will ultimately prove counterproductive.
“After Motherwell played Aalesund of Norway in Europa League qualifying back in 2010, a few of our fans kept in touch with a few of their fans,” said Watson. “We have been over there a number of times since.
“The last time we were over we had a very productive meeting with the football club and their safety manager. Essentially, what they do at is apply in advance for a pyrotechnic licence and work very closely with the emergency services.
“They say: ‘This is how many devices we have at the game and here are some we can test beforehand to make sure they are safe’. They also have safe ways of disposing of them afterwards rather than throwing them on the park or leaving them.
“If you remove that criminal element it takes the risk away for some people and they may not be as keen to do it in a strange way. More than that, it would be much safer.
“A significant risk comes from fans attempting to avoid detection and prosecution. That’s generally when people panic and you may see devices dropped or thrown. If it is facilitated in a mature fashion, as we have seen in other countries with a more progressive attitude towards football fans, it can benefit everyone.
“This is a trend that is happening across the globe. It is not something that is going to go away quickly – or at all. So let’s try and address it and be smart about it rather than just telling people they can’t do something. The more they tell them that they can’t do it the more they will do it. So the safer they can make it the better.”
Watson added: “It is important that Scotland’s clubs look at this in an adult manner and try to make sure that it is safe for everyone while at the same time enhancing the match day experience.
“I have spoken to Motherwell about this. We have had conversations with supporters of clubs across Scotland and they have indicated that discussions are happening at boardroom level. Clubs are talking with fans about how they can come to a compromise on this.
“There is a positive attitude from the clubs from what we are hearing. They are happy to discuss it. The stumbling block is the police and the governing bodies. Their approach is ‘we will tell you what to do’. But there has to be a middle ground because it isn’t going away and we don’t want anything dangerous to happen.
“We should open up a two-way dialogue on this rather than have a blanket ban which means that young kids who wouldn’t otherwise get in trouble find themselves going through a criminal justice process.”
Watson acknowledges that many supporters dislike their fellow fans using pyrotechnics and understands that setting off smoke bombs inside stadiums can cause serious problems for those with respiratory conditions like asthma. However, he does not feel the problems are insurmountable.
“Not everybody wants it,” he said. “There are many different types of football fan and many have a different opinion on what makes a good match day experience. This is just another fan demographic that should have their voices heard.
“So is there a designated area in the stadium where this could work? Is there an area where people could sit if they don’t want to be near it? If you look at the MLS in the United States, there are areas inside stadiums which are cordoned off where these devices are going to be set off and buckets to dispose of them afterwards.
“If this is going to happen, can we make sure they are not letting off fumes which are going to be affecting other supporters? There could be a warning in advance. We could say: ‘We recommend you don’t go in this area’. There are another three stands where they can sit if they don’t want to be part of it.
MATTHEW LINDSAY'S PYRO INVESTIGATION:
- The Norwegian view
- The German view
- The Asthma UK view
- The PFA Scotland view
- The disabled fan view
- Call for safe pyro debate
“If safety is the primary concern of the Scottish Police Federation, let’s have an adult discussion about the safest way to manage this issue rather than the usual kneejerk reaction that demands that football fans should have their lives ruined over it, or that football clubs should be hammered for an issue they cannot reasonably be expected to control.
“I never hear any complaints from Motherwell fans going. I don’t hear that they don’t like pyrotechnics and they aren’t happy with it happening. I have been going to games for many years and I have never seen any injuries.”
