ABSTRACT
In 1991 a statute was introduced that was widely heralded as putting the finishing touches to a 15-year campaign oflegislation intended to defeat the English football hooligan.1 However, almost a decade after the introduction of the Football (Offences) Act 1991, it appears that legislative attempts to control football crowd disorder have not had their desired effect. Despite the successful hosting of the 1996 European Championships and a dramatic fall in football-related arrests inside stadiums during the 1990s, it has been claimed that English football is once more suffering from an 'outbreak' of football hooliganism. Internationally, widespread disorder, including a fullblown riot in Marseilles,2 marred England's brief stay at the 1998 World Cup and was quickly followed by disorder at England's European Championship qualifiers in Sweden and Luxembourg.
