Andy Burnham and English football’s booze ban: Will alcohol really return to Premier League stands amid Prime Minister’s desire for change?

You might think that fans would be universally in favour of the ban being lifted, but the potential change in the law has highlighted a difference in opinion among England’s match-going supporters.

In a statement, Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) chairman Tom Greatrex said: “The FSA has always argued that it’s unfair to criminalise football fans for having a pint while watching the match – especially since you can sit in the same seat drinking alcohol while watching an Oasis gig or rugby league. We totally agree that the legislation is outdated and deserves to be reviewed.”

However, others argue the issue is more nuanced, both in terms of the practicalities and the implications of a more drunken crowd. Speaking to GOAL, Arsenal season-ticket holder Max, 34, says: “I’m not in favour of the ban being lifted. Because football is a constant flow sports, not like an American sport, not staccato, people constantly getting up could cause some disruption to people’s experience of the game.

“I also think that alcohol obviously is an inhibitor, [it] allows bad behaviour – football’s an emotional sport. I think that can be a cauldron for people acting out and in a negative way, and it could lead to some spectators feeling unsafe. People do drink now and I think it’s fine as is and I don’t think it needs to have much change.

“It probably actually only benefits the owners and the vendors because it’s more about them turning a profit than it is about truly changing the matchday experience. You’ve got more vendors, and it underlines the commerciality of everything. At the Emirates, for example, there is a vendor on every corner, you could get properly tanked up.

“At Highbury, you had maybe two or three in a row on each stand, so there would be a considerably bigger queue. So the fact that you’ve got less queue, even though it’s a bigger stadium, [there is] potential for more people getting absolutely blitzed.”

Max does, however, agree with the point that it’s unfair to discriminate against football fans: “Rugby allows drinking in the stands. For it to be one rule for one and another for the rest, I think that’s probably just a classist perspective, that you can at rugby, but you can’t do that at football.”