For the first time since 1984, football fans across the UK have been permitted to enjoy an alcoholic beverage whilst watching the game as part of a two-year trial. Is this a new dawn for football’s hooliganism problems, or is this a cynical commercial move to monetise a new football audience?

Drinking alcohol in your seat at men’s football matches was originally outlawed in the 1985 Sporting Events Act, amidst concerns that the consumption was leading to an increase in hooliganism. At that time, stadium bans for fans were not feasible. This had previously led to several fans losing their lives in the stands in mass brawls, including at Arsenal vs West Ham in 1982, and at St Andrews in Birmingham, where a wall collapsed at the stadium.

Since then and Margaret Thatcher’s ‘war cabinet,’ set up to tackle football hooliganism, yearly incidents have dropped from 13 to zero, albeit plagued with incidents like the Hillsborough Disaster in 1989.

‘Fan behaviour,’ as it is often referred to, has improved, as stewards and fans have sought to retain football’s unique atmosphere without the volatility spilling into violence.

For then-Prime Minister Thatcher, alcohol was the lubricant to anti-social behaviour in men’s football, whilst in cricket, rugby, tennis and other sports, it did not have the same galvanising effect.

Whilst the men’s game is still scarred by memories of 1980s fan-culture, women’s football has succeeded in keeping its distance from the controversy.

Whilst not actually covered by the 1985 Act, the WSL has adhered to the spirit of the law.

However, entering Ashton Gate with 21,000 other fans for the Women’s League Cup Final between Chelsea and Manchester United, fans will have noticed a significant difference.

Like at five other WSL sides this season, fans have been allowed to purchase and consume alcohol whilst in their seats watching the game, in a trial which has encompassed 51,000 fans so far.

There is still yet to be a major incident.

As remarked by Tracey Crouch in her 2021 Review of Football:

“Our view on alcohol in football is outdated.”

By all accounts, the most recent findings have continued to support this claim.

70% of fans are now in favour of this being a permanent measure up from 58% last year, and games remain a family environment whilst opinions on the atmosphere have not shifted.

Hannah Buckley, the WSL Infrastructure Hannah Buckley, has reasserted the WSL’s commitment to this element of their Fan Choice initiative

“Fan Choice has led to some innovative approaches from our clubs,” she said.

“We’re really happy with the results.”

There have been some concerns that the initiative might represent short term problem solving for the WSL, helping to fix financial issues for the clubs whilst ignoring possible behavioural issues that might be a problem further down the line.

Speaking to Chelsea fans at the game, that was certainly an issue:

“I’m old enough to remember when drinking was allowed in the stands,” lifelong Chelsea fan John commented.

“It would be a shame if that culture affected this one.”

The family oriented environment created by women’s football has often been credited for its low barrier to entry, allowing young fans to access the game in a way that men’s football lacks.

But the opportunity to learn from prior mistakes has been taken by the WSL’s premier clubs, ensuring alcohol free zones are commonplace for the sport.

Critically, the initiative offers the opportunity of freedom to a new generation of fans and, whilst alcohol isn’t essential to enjoying the sport, it may go some way to dispelling the myth that alcohol consumption is the main driver behind fan bad behaviour in the sport.