Bohs fan fails to get 'hooligan associates' ban lifted

[A face]

Independent.ie


Bohs fan fails to get 'hooligan associates' ban lifted

Ray Managh

A judge has refused to order Bohemians football club to lift a ban on a fan over claims he associated with a hooligan group.

Hospital administrator Glen Kelehan has been a home and away supporter of Boh's for 30 years and a season ticket holder for its Dalymount Park ground for five years.

Gerard Hussey, counsel for Kelehan, told the Circuit Civil Court his client was now being kept out of all Bohemians Football Club's home games.

He said Kelehan, who lives in the shadows of the ground in Connaught Street, Phibsboro, had already been refused entry to away games in Cork and Galway after Bohs officials tipped off stewards and gardai.

Judge Jacqueline Linnane was asked for injunctions restraining Bohs from preventing him attending Dalymount Park, asserting he had been guilty of misbehaviour while attending matches, or including him in any blacklist circulated to other football clubs.

Mr Hussey said his client would miss all games between now and the trial of proceedings he had instigated against the club unless an injunction was granted.

Kelehan (33) said he had at all times behaved in an orderly fashion at all matches, obeying and respecting all directions and regulations at both home and away matches. On December 9 last, he flew down to Cork for a match against Cork City at Turner's Cross. At the entrance he and another fan were identified to gardai there and refused admission.

Hooliganism

He had later learned his name had been put on a black list of names excluded from Dalymount Park and from other grounds.

Alistair Rutherdale, counsel for Bohemian FC, told the court the club had never made,nor were they making, any allegations of criminality or hooliganism against Kelehan -- but it was its security policy to ban anyone who associated with known members or groups responsible for hooliganism.

Mr Conway said Kelehan travelled to the Cork City game with a group, or associated with a group, which included persons the club security personnel believed were previously involved in hooliganism. These were members of 'Boh's Soccer Casuals' who were involved in organised hooliganism over the past number of years.

Judge Linnane refused to grant an injunction lifting the ban and said damages would be an adequate remedy in the event of Mr Kelehan winning his case.

[A face]

Fair play to Bohs for this one. Hopefully it sends out a strong message.

[skitz3]

Indeed, although there is more to it than meets the eye.

[passerrby]

Indeed, although there is more to it than meets the eye.

you mean he,s a rover fan

[skitz3]

you mean he,s a rover fan

What are talking about? Where did you get that from? And it's a apostrophe(') you want, not an comma (,)

[The Man Himself]

well done to bohs for showing scumbags the door.
good on ye.

[passerrby]

What are talking about? Where did you get that from? And it's a apostrophe(') you want, not an comma (,)

lighten up skitzo its a joke sorry skitz3

[iceman]

A 33 year-old thats been a Bohs fan for 30 years :D

[skitz3]

I'm a 23 year old thats been a Shels fan for 20 years. Went to my first game age 3.

[BohsPartisan]

Why is it a good thing that someone who has done absolutely nothing is being banned because he knows some hooligans?

[LeixlipRed]

because he knows some hooligans?

Knows them or associates them. I know some scumbag Shels fans. Do I associate with them? Of course not. It's his own fault tbh and when you hang out with people like that you are condoning their behaviour in a way so no big loss.

[Raheny Red]

When you hang out with people like that you are condoning their behaviour in a way so no big loss.

No you're not, that comment is ridiculous. If he is banned just because he knows a few hoolies then that is a disgrace in fairness.

[A face]

Knows them or associates them. I know some scumbag Shels fans. Do I associate with them? Of course not. It's his own fault tbh and when you hang out with people like that you are condoning their behaviour in a way so no big loss.

Thats in a nutshell.

There should be absolutely NO sympathy for this guy imo. All these types will undermine everything that clubs are trying to do to progress. Their behaviour is completely irresponsible and because they negate any responsibility they deserve what they get.

And its not like its anything new for some of these guys, they are well used to it. If they appear scummy, they people avoid them on a day to day basis, they have probably failed to get jobs because they cant hide the fact they are skangers. They experience this everyday of their lives. So why does this guy single out a football club for the 'injustices' that have been done to him. If these guys cant behave themselves in public thats their own fault, stop whinging to football clubs about it.

The thing is these measures are few and far between and should happen more often.


No you're not, that comment is ridiculous. If he is banned just because he knows a few hoolies then that is a disgrace in fairness.

To be fair, i'd say its a bit more than "just because he knows a few hoolies". If it happened to any normal people there would be means available to prove you dont associate with them. And the last thing he should be doing while banned from home games (the point where he should have realised this association isn't in his best interests) is continue to associate with them and be seen trying to enter a football ground with them.

If he has nothing to do with them then it would be clear and evidential. Its obviously not.

[BohsPartisan]

A Face, if the guy has done nothing wrong, then he has done nothing wrong. Guilt by association is not justice. I don't know him personally but from what I hear he has never been in any trouble and is not a hoolie. The whole idea of banning people should be - if you cause trouble/engage in violent behavior then you're out. Victimising someone for who they hang out with is like when the branch used to call around to peoples houses and harass them because their mates da was in the ra.

[micls]

Im all for guilt by association. It might make people not involved in the trouble stay away from the clowns, and might make the clowns realise it's not so cool anymore.

Especially for the younger age group e.g. schooligans. At that age its all about being cool and fitting in. If the club shows them it doesnt pay to hang around with anyone causing trouble then it might lessen the amount of people involved in these thins.

[BohsPartisan]

Im all for guilt by association.

Well then you have a fckd up concept of justice.

[micls]

Well then you have a fckd up concept of justice.

In footballing terms obviously. Theres a growing problem of hooligans/schooligans that needs to be stamped out now before it gets serious.

I think this could have a big effect on it.

Theres an easy solution for those that dont want to be banned by association, dont hang around with scumbags.

[A face]

A Face, if the guy has done nothing wrong, then he has done nothing wrong.

I dont know him but it doesn't sound that way to me. And i am aware that he might have 'done' nothing, but imo he has done enough by condoning their behaviour.


Guilt by association is not justice.

Justice doesn't come into it, the club can ban someone from their ground if they want. He or no one else has any say in the matter. Again, not justice but if it eradicates the problem is a good thing.


I don't know him personally but from what I hear he has never been in any trouble and is not a hoolie.

That is unfortunate, to get the punishment but not commit the sin, maybe he should have stayed away from the BSC in the first place. He learnt the hard way.


The whole idea of banning people should be - if you cause trouble/engage in violent behavior then you're out.

NO WAY, that is allowing it to happen. Clubs need to get in there well before hand and get rid of them. The whole thing would be a lot easier if they just understood they are not wanted and never went near football again.


Victimising someone for who they hang out with is like when the branch used to call around to peoples houses and harass them because their mates da was in the ra.

If it stamps out the problem them i'm all for it. Zero tolerance, dont allow it happen. Get rid of them at the first sign of trouble.

The BSC have done this guy no favours, other people should sit up and look at this and see the BSC for what they are. Double the amount of cameras and ostracise the BSC and anyone who associates with them.

Remember, if you condone them you are a primary part of the problem.

[OneRedArmy]

Well then you have a fckd up concept of justice.Its got very little do to with justice. He's being excluded from a football ground, not locked up in Mountjoy. Ergo different standards apply.

[LeixlipRed]

No you're not, that comment is ridiculous. If he is banned just because he knows a few hoolies then that is a disgrace in fairness.

As my post clearly states there's a big difference between "knowing" and associating. It's stupid to associate with people like that. It doesn't make you a scumbag obviously but for someone from the outside looking in it would appear that way. Hooliganism should be looked with zero tolerance tinted glasses. And if you hang round with hooligans and get banned you can have absolutely no complaints.

[BohsPartisan]

Its got very little do to with justice. He's being excluded from a football ground, not locked up in Mountjoy. Ergo different standards apply.

Justice as a concept differs significantly from the judiciary. For a football fan, being banned from your club is one of the worst things that can happen you and should be reserved for serious offenses, not wh o you hang around with.

[OneRedArmy]

Justice as a concept differs significantly from the judiciary. For a football fan, being banned from your club is one of the worst things that can happen you and should be reserved for serious offenses, not wh o you hang around with.I reserve the right not to admit people I don't like into my own home.

Likewise, as private property, football clubs can do the same.

I'd also query how a big a fan this lad is if he spends his time knocking around with the BSC.

[A face]

Justice as a concept differs significantly from the judiciary. For a football fan, being banned from your club is one of the worst things that can happen you and should be reserved for serious offenses, not who you hang around with.

It is ..... BSC and any other wannabe hooligans/trouble makers are a cancer in society, and can do irreversible damage to this league. He was associated with them, its a serious offence.

It was too late when he was banned from home games and its much later now.

The judge should have asked him to tell all the BSC to never go near a game again, home or away.

[Greenforever]

Justice as a concept differs significantly from the judiciary. For a football fan, being banned from your club is one of the worst things that can happen you and should be reserved for serious offenses, not wh o you hang around with.


Im wondering about your motives, as a football fan the worst thing can be to be associated with scum like the BSC and if he was a real fan im sure he would be distancing himself from such people.

I doubt if bohs would go to this trouble if they had not very good reason.

[jebus]

Bar BohsPartisan's contribution all the views expressed in this thread are idiotic. You can't kick a guy out of his team's ground because of who he hangs out with, that's just ridiculous. If he hasn't been involved in any hooligan activity himself then he can't be branded one, simple as that and no amount of hand wringing by you lot about the BSC will change that. You all sound like Daily Mail readers truth be told so I doubt anyone will be able to change your minds on this.

I'm surprised he wanted back in to Dalymount, if Limerick did similar to me I wouldn't be bothered with the club afterwards

[BohsPartisan]

My motives revolve around someone getting banned for nothing. AFAIK, we've had no major hoolie incidents this year and someone gets banned for who he hangs around with. I'm also concerned with the precedent this sets. If your club is arbitrarily banning fans, who knows who could be next. Will they stop at people who have friends in the BSC, or could you be inadvertently chatting to someone in the bar you don't know is a hoolie? What if they expand the definition of hooliganism or trump up charges against people with a different point of view on key issues to the board?

[skitz3]

You can't kick a guy out of his team's ground because of who he hangs out with, that's just ridiculous.

Eh, i think this proves you can!

[Greenforever]

Bar BohsPartisan's contribution all the views expressed in this thread are idiotic. You can't kick a guy out of his team's ground because of who he hangs out with, that's just ridiculous. If he hasn't been involved in any hooligan activity himself then he can't be branded one, simple as that and no amount of hand wringing by you lot about the BSC will change that. You all sound like Daily Mail readers truth be told so I doubt anyone will be able to change your minds on this

Do you really think the directors of Bohs would go to that much trouble if he was really that innocent?

I personally know one of their directors and he would not support the board without very strong evidence, and before you say present the evidence, its not always that straight forward.

If all EL clubs took such a strong stance you would see a rise in attendences.

[bellavistaman]

Eh, i think this proves you can!


:D

Jebus is right, just because he knows them its a joke the only thing is, whatever chasnce he had of sneaking into to grounds are well gone, he hasnt half gone and publicised himself

[jebus]

Do you really think the directors of Bohs would go to that much trouble if he was really that innocent?


If he's not innocent than he deserves kicking out, as it stands people are saying he has been banned for being friends with some hooligans, and that's just ridiculous. I've been friends with some drug dealers in my time, do I deserve to go to prison for associating with them?

[Schumi]

Do people who 'associate' with this guy get kicked out now? And people who 'associate' with them...

[twowheelsonly]

If he's not innocent than he deserves kicking out, as it stands people are saying he has been banned for being friends with some hooligans, and that's just ridiculous. I've been friends with some drug dealers in my time, do I deserve to go to prison for associating with them?

Moderation: text removed

If you were still hanging around with those same people on a regular basis how do you think other people would view you?? It's human nature and guilt by association whether you like it or not. If the Guards decided to search a known drug dealer in your company you can be damn sure that you would be searched as well.

[BohsPartisan]

Do you really think the directors of Bohs would go to that much trouble if he was really that innocent?



They said it themselves. They were at pains to say they weren't kicking him out for being a hooligan. I know some of the board members to talk to aswell and though they can be nice people I'm sometimes baffled by the things they do. Why did they do it? I don't know, to be seen to be doing something?

[A face]

You can't kick a guy out of his team's ground because of who he hangs out with, that's just ridiculous.

Can a bouncer refuse admission to a nightclub if someone is a potential troublemaker? Bohs have the right to refuse admission.


I'm surprised he wanted back in to Dalymount, if Limerick did similar to me I wouldn't be bothered with the club afterwards

That's just it, they dont want him back it seems.


My motives revolve around someone getting banned for nothing.

BP, for the record i know where you're coming from but there is more to this.


Will they stop at people who have friends in the BSC, or could you be inadvertently chatting to someone in the bar you don't know is a hoolie? What if they expand the definition of hooliganism or trump up charges against people with a different point of view on key issues to the board?

That in all fairness is not likely to happen. It wouldn't be in their interests to do so, all clubs welcome paying punters. To get banned from a clubs ground you have to have been fairly questionable imo


Do you really think the directors of Bohs would go to that much trouble if he was really that innocent?

Exactly


If all EL clubs took such a strong stance you would see a rise in attendences.

Its not happening soon enough. I have mates in Dublin and when i ask them why they dont attend games they all say that its because of the people who attend games, its perceived to be unsavoury characters. That is the size of it, the image is already tarnished. Inviting more trouble that could make headlines is stupid. And thats not even mentioning the fact that people simply just dont want to see aggro in any shape or form if they were to attend games, concerts, the circus, anything. Its just not acceptable.


If he's not innocent than he deserves kicking out, as it stands people are saying he has been banned for being friends with some hooligans, and that's just ridiculous. I've been friends with some drug dealers in my time, do I deserve to go to prison for associating with them?

If Gardai were watching you, and stopped you i think you would distance yourself soon enough, not doubt about it. If they were monitoring you and your not involved in anything dodgy then you have nothing to worry about.

Anyway, thats a completely different matter.


They said it themselves. They were at pains to say they weren't kicking him out for being a hooligan. I know some of the board members to talk to aswell and though they can be nice people I'm sometimes baffled by the things they do. Why did they do it? I don't know, to be seen to be doing something?

I can only imagine they had enough reason to do so. And anyway, they are entrusted with people safety while at games. If they felt they had to take this measure then so be it. In my opinion they are completely justified if it makes going to games safer for everyone. It doesn't all revolve around the BSC and their associates, the general public are entitle to attend games in a hassle free environment and nothing should compromise that.

[micls]

If he's not innocent than he deserves kicking out, as it stands people are saying he has been banned for being friends with some hooligans, and that's just ridiculous. I've been friends with some drug dealers in my time, do I deserve to go to prison for associating with them?

No, of course not.

But if you tried to walk into a bar with these drug dealers, and the bouncer knew they were drug dealers, would they leave you in? (obviously assuming they dont want drug dealers in the bar)

The BSC do huge damage to the image of Bohs as a club, something their fans give out about regularly.

I don't see how any real fan of the club would associate with a group who are damaging his club like that.

[jebus]

But if you tried to walk into a bar with these drug dealers, and the bouncer knew they were drug dealers, would they leave you in?

If I'd been going to that bar for 30 years and had never sold drugs there then they should leave me in, regardless of what they do to the actual drug dealers

[dcfcsteve]

I'm a 23 year old thats been a Shels fan for 20 years. Went to my first game age 3.

Aren't you a bit old to be supporting Shels now though...? :D

;)

[dcfcsteve]

For a football fan, being banned from your club is one of the worst things that can happen you...

And for a football club, being tainted and dogged by the presence of wannabe-hooiigan idiots is the worst thing that can happen to it.

So perhaps if the person concerned had combined those two 'worst things' together in his mind he'd have made the sensible decision that hanging around with hooligans at his football club was neither smart for him nor good for his club.

The sooner these idiots get isolated and exposed the sooner they'll die out.

[A face]

The BSC do huge damage to the image of Bohs as a club, something their fans give out about regularly.

I dont think they give out regularly enough to be honest. I dont want to be slated for this, nearly all of the Bohs fans on here are good heads and know the game very well. But that said i think (and its only my opinion) they dont separate themselves enough from the problem.

Surely Bohs fans must be aware of the damage it does, i know we have Bebo kids to deal with but if it ever got to the levels of BSC for City i'd appear in court against them. Give this whole thing an inch and it would envelop your club in half a season.

The Bohs board are copping alot of criticism at the moment but i'm surely they'll be glad the took this stance.

It probably a question that has been asked a million times elsewhere but is there any way to communicate to these people that they are not wanted?

[A face]

If I'd been going to that bar for 30 years and had never sold drugs there then they should leave me in, regardless of what they do to the actual drug dealers

30 years doesn't matter a toss

The questions they ask are ....


Is this guy selling drugs?
Is this guy facilitating the selling of drugs?
Has he repeated been seen with drug dealers?
Why is he associating with these dealers?
How bad are these drug dealers getting?
How can we best stop these drug dealers?


The question they should be asking but probably cant ...


Will our job be made easier if we take this guy out of the equation?

[BohDiddley]

It probably a question that has been asked a million times elsewhere but is there any way to communicate to these people that they are not wanted?
Like this? (http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/club-news/hooligan-bans.htm) A policy statement that was followed by immediate, determined action.
Given your apparent expertise and willingness to pronounce on the issue, while minimising your own, one might have expected you to be familiar with the club policy on hooligans. For your information, they have been conspicuous by their absence, as have their flags, from Dalymount Park this season.

[A face]

Like this? (http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/club-news/hooligan-bans.htm) A policy statement that was followed by immediate, determined action.
Given your apparent expertise and willingness to pronounce on the issue, while minimising your own, one might have expected you to be familiar with the club policy on hooligans. For your information, they have been conspicuous by their absence, as have their flags, from Dalymount Park this season.

BohDiddley, i love it man. Genuinely. Fair play to Bohs for this. I love it, get the message out there.

Minimising my own, no way man. I singled out a guy over a month ago at the cross because he was acting the maggot, and he, deservedly so has been banned from the cross. I dont shy away from this crap at all, and i was going back into the stand when my mates said it was best to go to another part of the ground for the rest of the game. The same guy was known to the Gardai so it was a good call. And i'll do it any other time as well.

We had an incident a few years back where a guy had parked in car in front of a residents driveway, he came back after the game and residents surrounded him because he didn't get proper parking, he was left know in no uncertain terms they weren't happy about it but it was in no way violent. Raised voices at best. The motorist agreed and apologised.

A journalist was passing at the same time and took his notes, article followed about the violent scenes in Turners Cross and how football attracted all of this stuff.

The residents in reaction to the incident and the article invited the journalist and the motorist (fair bit of effort to track him down, all they had was a licence plate) to a residence committee meeting three days later. Both turned up and the motorist admitted he was wrong (again) etc. but the journalist through his questioning at the meeting exacerbated the whole situation again and reported in another article that there were continuing violent scenes away from matchday and how the problem was escalating (he didn't come straight out and say what happened on the Monday but lead the reader to believe that).

This was a fawking residence committee meeting. I mean where do you go from there. Were they all off to the Lions Club to organise the next ruck?

This is what your dealing with man. The guy cant park his car and there was riots.

I love the fact that statement was there, i hope to god the BSC have read it and learnt it by heart. I'm telling ya, clubs need to seriously have zero tolerance to this and one guy that hangs around with the BSC we wont miss.

[skitz3]

Aren't you a bit old to be supporting Shels now though...? :D

;)


Ha you made a joke. So the stereotype about people from Derry having no personallity isn't true then?

[SilkCut]

This "Hooligan" element don't seem to understand the effect they have on the league as a whole. Their presence contributes to the fact that many people don't attend games and as a result clubs are struggling financially. As I said in another thread clubs need to get families through the turnstiles but why would you go to a game where your wife or kids are at risk of abuse. I for one hated going to Bohs and Rovers games because of the "fans" who used to travel with them. Its more of a shame when you realise most of their real fans are incredibly knowledgeable and very good company to share a pint with after a game. If clubs end up banning a small number of innocent people to eliminate the guilty then for the good of the game we will all have to live with that. There is always the big TV in the pub.

[thischarmingman]

How can you possibly say you are a football fan or say you care about your club if you hang around with people that do such damage to it, and football as a whole in this country?

[EalingGreen]

Like this? (http://www.bohemians.ie/index.php/club-news/hooligan-bans.htm) A policy statement that was followed by immediate, determined action.
Given your apparent expertise and willingness to pronounce on the issue, while minimising your own, one might have expected you to be familiar with the club policy on hooligans. For your information, they have been conspicuous by their absence, as have their flags, from Dalymount Park this season.

When i first read through this thread, as a football fan I was instinctively sympathetic to Bohs, but as a Libertarian I still had a nagging doubt as regards the dangers of "guilt by association", especially by an unaccountable and non-judicial body like a football club.

However, having read the Bohs' admirable and unequivocal policy statement, combined with their apparent willingness to act over the Derry incident, I now have no sympathy whatever for the guy who's bringing the Court case.

[EalingGreen]

This "Hooligan" element don't seem to understand the effect they have on the league as a whole. Their presence contributes to the fact that many people don't attend games and as a result clubs are struggling financially. As I said in another thread clubs need to get families through the turnstiles but why would you go to a game where your wife or kids are at risk of abuse. I for one hated going to Bohs and Rovers games because of the "fans" who used to travel with them. Its more of a shame when you realise most of their real fans are incredibly knowledgeable and very good company to share a pint with after a game. If clubs end up banning a small number of innocent people to eliminate the guilty then for the good of the game we will all have to live with that. There is always the big TV in the pub.

I think this gets to the nub of the issue, though perhaps not quite how you meant! "Normal" fans like you and me can see the damage hooliganism, even a hooligan image, can do to the game.
However, the hoolies themselves don't see it that way. The hard core, at least, genuinely see themselves as the "real" supporters of the club i.e. they will even risk getting hurt to demonstrate that support. Indeed, should a club's on-field fortunes decline, so that the general support starts to drift away, these hoolies carry it as a "badge of honour" that they are sticking with the club regardless. In fact, they often make a virtue out of it: i.e. "we may not be the best team, but we're the hardest etc".

Worse still, they actually scorn those ordinary supporters who first refuse to let their wives/girlfriends/kids etc attend and who then decline to attend themselves. From the hoolies' point of view, "ordinary" fans are "safe" from the hoolies' activities, since they (hoolies) invariably claim they "don't go looking for trouble, we just won't walk away if it comes to us", or that they "only fight other hoolies". Therefore, if the ordinaries stop coming, they're no real loss, since they were never "true" fans in the first place.

Deep down, I don't think the hoolies' motives are anything to do with football itself. Rather, I feel there is something lacking in their lives so that they need the sense of belonging and identity which comes with being in a gang. Worse still, it is not (imo) "mindless violence" as it's often described. On the contrary, perhaps due to hormonal influences (adrenalin? testosterone?), the real hard core get a clear "kick" out of fighting, even (especially?) if it involves personal risk. As such, they are more likely to get away with a rumble as part of a mob at a football match than e.g. outside a pub on a Friday night.

Consequently, it is imperative that all clubs make it abundantly clear that there is no place whatever for hooligans anywhere near football (as Bohs appear here to be doing). However, since there is only so much the clubs can do, they also need the whole-hearted support of the rest of their supporters, plus the authorities (FAI, police and judiciary), so that following bannings, fines and imprisonment, loss of jobs etc, the hoolies eventually get the message that getting involved in violence at football matches simply brings them more trouble than its worth.

Of course, that is not to say that they will suddenly be weaned off their addiction to violence entirely and become model citizens. Sadly, they are merely likely to become someone else's problem. But if so, at least football can absolve itself of blame.

[Block G Raptor]

I don't know this guy personally but probably would know him to see. As my user name would suggest I watch Bohs from Block G in the Jodi and always have and hopefully always will (until we move to harristown of course)a lot of the BSC would also be in Block G or on the steps at the end of Block G, during the course of he game I would have conversations with plenty of the lads around me and I would now fear that if any of the people I'm talking turn out unbeknownst to me to be BSC could I be facing a ban? whilst I am 100% behind the club in getting rid of the BSC Filth I just hope they will be very thorough in investigating "Associates" of Hooligans before just dishing out bans on anecdotal evidence

[Greenforever]

I don't know this guy personally but probably would know him to see. As my user name would suggest I watch Bohs from Block G in the Jodi and always have and hopefully always will (until we move to harristown of course)a lot of the BSC would also be in Block G or on the steps at the end of Block G, during the course of he game I would have conversations with plenty of the lads around me and I would now fear that if any of the people I'm talking turn out unbeknownst to me to be BSC could I be facing a ban? whilst I am 100% behind the club in getting rid of the BSC Filth I just hope they will be very thorough in investigating "Associates" of Hooligans before just dishing out bans on anecdotal evidence

i would imagine that if you're not arriving to the game with them, socialising with them outside afterwards, and seen to be a part of them you'r not likely to have anything to worry about.

you could always have a word with the head of security during a game and introduce yourself and assure them of your support in ridding themselves of the problem

[Greenforever]

I think this gets to the nub of the issue, though perhaps not quite how you meant! "Normal" fans like you and me can see the damage hooliganism, even a hooligan image, can do to the game.
However, the hoolies themselves don't see it that way. The hard core, at least, genuinely see themselves as the "real" supporters of the club i.e. they will even risk getting hurt to demonstrate that support. Indeed, should a club's on-field fortunes decline, so that the general support starts to drift away, these hoolies carry it as a "badge of honour" that they are sticking with the club regardless. In fact, they often make a virtue out of it: i.e. "we may not be the best team, but we're the hardest etc".

Worse still, they actually scorn those ordinary supporters who first refuse to let their wives/girlfriends/kids etc attend and who then decline to attend themselves. From the hoolies' point of view, "ordinary" fans are "safe" from the hoolies' activities, since they (hoolies) invariably claim they "don't go looking for trouble, we just won't walk away if it comes to us", or that they "only fight other hoolies". Therefore, if the ordinaries stop coming, they're no real loss, since they were never "true" fans in the first place.

Deep down, I don't think the hoolies' motives are anything to do with football itself. Rather, I feel there is something lacking in their lives so that they need the sense of belonging and identity which comes with being in a gang. Worse still, it is not (imo) "mindless violence" as it's often described. On the contrary, perhaps due to hormonal influences (adrenalin? testosterone?), the real hard core get a clear "kick" out of fighting, even (especially?) if it involves personal risk. As such, they are more likely to get away with a rumble as part of a mob at a football match than e.g. outside a pub on a Friday night.

Consequently, it is imperative that all clubs make it abundantly clear that there is no place whatever for hooligans anywhere near football (as Bohs appear here to be doing). However, since there is only so much the clubs can do, they also need the whole-hearted support of the rest of their supporters, plus the authorities (FAI, police and judiciary), so that following bannings, fines and imprisonment, loss of jobs etc, the hoolies eventually get the message that getting involved in violence at football matches simply brings them more trouble than its worth.

Of course, that is not to say that they will suddenly be weaned off their addiction to violence entirely and become model citizens. Sadly, they are merely likely to become someone else's problem. But if so, at least football can absolve itself of blame.

Excellent post!!