Some fans ‘determined to destroy’ clubs reputation

Reputational damage has been caused to Linfield Football Club due to a “small element” of fans, according to chairman Roy McGivern.

The Belfast club were fined €10,000 (£8,727) for the “racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters” and €2,000 (£1,745) for the lighting of fireworks in Windsor Park during their Champions League qualifier against Shelbourne.

The Irish Premiership champions were also handed a partial stadium ban, which is suspended for two years.

Mr McGivern said the behaviour had “undoubtedly” halted sponsorship deals at the club.

Speaking to BBC News NI, the chairman said the board had spent long hours discussing the problem of sectarianism over a number of years and had held meetings with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), supporters groups and local representatives.

He added that the club has tried “to make progress and promote positive behaviours, and to an extent it has worked”, but said “when big games come around there is an element who seem determined to damage the reputation of the club”.

The chair revealed that sponsorship deals have not been secured because of the fines related to sectarian chanting.

He said: “We have very loyal sponsors at the club but one of the big frustrations over recent years is trying to attract new sponsors and you can get so far down the line and suddenly you get a negative headline about sectarian behaviour which results in fines and that can actually halt sponsorship deals which has happened to us in the past.

“People have to realise the damage they are causing to the club that they profess to love and support.”

Mr McGivern said it can be “embarrassing” to hear sectarian singing while at games.

“When you’re sitting with sponsors and players from different backgrounds, they don’t want this, the managers don’t want this, so it is important that we get the message through – it needs to stop and stop now,” he said.

“It doesn’t fit the proud name of the club.

“Some supporters only come to the bigger games and indulge in sectarian behaviour and light pyrotechnics and it has to stop.”

When asked how the club’s Catholic players feel about the sectarian behaviour Mr McGivern said that he is “sure it doesn’t encourage them in any way whatsoever”.

He added that while the players love the “loud and passionate” Linfield support, “they want this small element to simply stop what they’re doing”.

Mr McGivern said in the past the club has had parts of the stadium closed as a result of sectarian behaviour resulting in financial consequences for the club, domestically and in Europe.

He said: “If it continues we could close parts of our own stands to protect the club, if it helps us manage the situation better for certain games.”

Lifetime bans have been given out to a small number of perpetrators but the chairman said it is hard to gather evidence in order to carry out bans.

He said he hopes the majority of fans will get behind the team and encourage those taking part in banned behaviour to stop.

“The police have a very big role in this. If people are engaging in behaviour which is criminal then we need people to be prosecuted for that. That is quite difficult sometimes to gather that evidence,” Mr McGivern added.

“We have issued lifetime bans to individuals where we have evidence of people engaging in this behaviour.

“We are intent on trying to educate our fans, particularly that small element to say ‘look, you can’t profess to be a Linfield fan and engage in this behaviour, the two things are not compatible.'”

In a statement at the time the sanction was issued, Linfield noted their “extreme disappointment”, adding: “This sanction is as a result of sectarian chanting and the use of flares by individuals who would profess to be our supporters.

“The club has repeatedly urged its supporters to refrain from all forms of sectarian and discriminatory chanting at our games and also to avoid the use of pyrotechnics.”

Linfield manager David Healy said the board are “at their wits’ end”.

He added that a “very small minority” had “let the club down”, and emphasised the vast majority of supporters make up “a brilliant fan base”.