By Bryan Kay

POLICE IN Scotland fear the re-emergence of organised football hooliganism may be more widespread than previously thought.

The worrying trend comes as the Scottish Executive prepares to introduce banning orders to stop known thugs from attending matches.

One officer in Tayside told The Courier the main players in the gangs when they were at their height more than two decades ago have increasingly re-appeared on the scene.

He said they recruit impressionable young men in their late teens and early 20s to fight in mass brawls they orchestrate by mobile phone.

The officer said three to four years ago, hardcore squads swearing allegiance to Aberdeen, Hibs and Dundee’s two senior clubs were almost the only worry for police.

But, he continued, other designer-clad football gangs from around the country that had practically disappeared began to re-surface.

The latest incident involving Dundee thugs saw a Paisley bar come under attack on Saturday before Dundee United’s match with St Mirren.

The two gangs had arranged a post-match fight via mobile phones, but the violence erupted before kick-off at a pub near the ground.

It is just the latest example of a craze that appears to be re-establishing itself.

Our Tayside source said, “The culture was basically eradicated but then four or five years ago it seemed to come back. It is the same boys who were operating in the 70s and 80s and now they’re back on the mobile phones with young lads aged 17-20. There isn’t anyone really in between.

“You’ll find it’s the young ones carrying weapons. They see the young lads as expendable. They’re the ones doing the running about.

“Our intelligence on them is pretty good, though. We might not know all their names, but we know most of them by face.”

Sources on the west coast also say the numbers involved are increasing.

A Strathclyde Police officer who has been involved in rooting out the violence said there has been a noticeable increase in incidents in recent months.

“It had been dying away—with the only real problems coming when there were big matches between Scottish and English clubs for example—but it’s coming back,” he said.

He cited the example of the re-emergence of troublemakers who follow Celtic Football Club as an example.

Casuals associated with Celtic travelled to London for the team’s recent friendly match with Chelsea with the intention of causing trouble.

Seven Celtic fans were among 17 arrested for violent offences after the game.

Speaking specifically about those who had allegiances to Celtic, the officer said the problem involved a hardcore of around 20 well-known troublemakers, most of whom are from Tayside and Fife.

“There’s only a couple from Glasgow but a lot come from Fife and further north to meet up for big games,” he said.

“Police know who they are and they are targeted, but they always seem to be able to meet up in pubs before matches and get involved in causing some sort of trouble.”

A Tayside Police spokeswoman said the force closely monitors rogue elements among football fans.

“We are aware of an element of individuals who purport to support local football teams but really only wish to engage in violence and anti-social behaviour,” she said.

“We monitor the activity of these individuals very closely through various means and, due to official information exchange protocols in place, we share that information with other forces.”