Hooliganism - Why do English football fans continue to embarrass themselves?

During the 2016 European Championships in France the one thing more embarrassing for England than the performances on the pitch was the actions of the travelling fans off of it. Violent out bursts occurred frequently during the tournament with dozens of arrests made particularly after the opening game vs Russia. Similar scenes took place this week when England's solitary side left in the Champions League, Leicester City, travelled to Madrid.

Four thousand plus fans of the English champions followed their side to the Spanish capital to witness their sides incredible run in Europe's elite competition but it appears that the game was the last thing on the minds of many of the fans. A minority of the group managed to embarrass themselves with an extremely inappropriate rendition of 'German bombers' less than 24 hours after the Dortmund team bus was attacked before their first-leg tie against Monaco. As well as screaming 'You Spanish b******s Gibraltar is ours' at the top of their lungs. All of this appears satire when compared to the fights breaking out with Spanish riot police, with many videos appearing on social media of beer bottles and other dangerous objects being thrown in the direction of the police who were drastically outnumbered by the English fans.

Eight Leicester fans were arrested for public disorder and vandalism a police spokesperson confirmed and have since been given a four month suspended sentence following their actions. A group of 70 hooligans gathered in the Plaza Mayor, a common spot for travelling fans in Madrid, and when the police approached, these 'fans' started attacking the Spaniards seemingly unprovoked, one video capturing a member of the group throwing a concrete cafe table in the direction of the riot police, he like many others appeared to be strongly under the influence. All of the fans held by police had been drinking heavily the court heard. Three officers and two Leicester fans were treated for cuts and bruises on the ground but luckily no one was taken to hospital.

What is perhaps worse than the actions of the fans is the image that is being portrayed to the rest of the world. English fans in the future will complain when they can't travel to follow their team without interruption of the authorities but it is all down to a reputation built up by a group of idiots who continue to give English football fans a bad name. The incredible lack of respect shown by the Leicester fans to the locals in Madrid is far too similar to that of the England fans in France during last years competition. Their are idiots in every walk of life and it is always a minority of people, much like it is here. But what it is doing is painting every English fan as a hooligan, as a threat and as a person you do not want visiting your country. Due to the actions of a select few idiots English fans can no longer travel in numbers to anywhere in Europe without being under the constant watchful eye of the local authorities and rightfully so to maintain peace and safety for the local people.

The difference between the Leicester fans and the Monaco/Dortmund fans on Tuesday night is laughable. During a time of peril and with numbers of fans stranded and people scared for their lives the fans on the German and French clubs came together to show the world they were not afraid, they stood united and helped each other out in every way they could. Commendable. Where as the Leicester fans spent the same evening chanting racial slurs at the locals, inappropriate comments regarding the war and Gibraltar as well as of course engaging in a drunken fight with the local police which lead to the trip being cut short for a select group of these 'fans' that due to the amount of alcohol consumed might not even be able to remember their stupid actions. Embarrassing.

I would like to stress that these actions were carried out by a minority of the Leicester fans in Madrid. Not every fan of the English champions wants to travel abroad simply to start fights and to give English fans a bad name. The select few that do however travel with this intentions might not have the same attitude towards it when their actions lead to the abroad 'away day' experience being drastically changed due to increasing numbers of these incidents taking place when English hooligans travel abroad.

The actions that took place the night before the game will be what's remembered in a years time. And with the home side beating Leicester 1-0 it could be seen as justice for the locals who were caught up in the horrendous scenes in the city centre.