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By CALUM CROWE Published: 16: 00 AEST, 13 May 2025 | Updated: 16: 00 AEST, 13 May 2025 View comments Prior to kick-off in the play-off match between Ayr United and Partick Thistle last Friday night, some of the streets around Somerset Park looked like a warzone. With broken glass strewn across the roads and pavements, as well as police sirens at every turn, it was carnage. What should have been an exciting contest in the battle to reach the Premiership became a shameful episode due to off-field disorder among supporters. Bathed in the warm glow of late afternoon sunshine, it all began in the couple of hours leading up to kick-off as rival fans clashed. But it didn’t stop there. When Brian Graham scored a late winner to secure victory for Thistle, some of the visiting fans chose a pitch invasion as their means to celebrate. It swiftly got out of hand. Ayr goalkeeper Josh Clarke was pushed and taunted by one idiotic fan brandishing a smartphone and seeking to capture the whole thing on video. Partick Thistle fans spill on to the pitch after Brian Graham's late goal sealed victory at Ayr Stewards struggle to contain the onrushing supporters, some of whom confronted Ayr players Thistle fans, some with flares, had been a colourful presence at Somerset Park throughout Ayr defender Paddy Reading was also seen with one Thistle fan screaming and celebrating right in front of his face. Let’s not forget, for all we like to put footballers on a pedestal, they are still human beings. They are trying to do their job. In what other workplace would you have folk physically pushing you around and screaming in your face? It has also now emerged that four young Thistle supporters were injured by pyrotechnics amid all the flares and smoke bombs at Somerset Park. When young kids go to a football match and suffer any kind of harm, you have to say enough is enough. Thistle have already condemned the whole sorry episode, with a club statement reading: ‘The excitement generated has led to incidents that are negatively diluting all the fantastic support the club receives. Trouble also flared on the streets around the ground, with some cars and property damaged ‘Whilst the pitch incursions at the home game against Falkirk, and the away game at Ayr, could be described by some as high jinks and were over quickly as people were ushered off the field of play, they are not events that the club can let pass without comment. ‘We would ask that, no matter what happens in the rest of this campaign, there are no more pitch incursions regardless of the excitement, drama or result. ‘It was also reported to the club’s supporters liaison officer that four young supporters suffered minor injuries as a result of pyrotechnics at Somerset Park on Friday. ‘The club understands that some supporters view pyrotechnics as a colourful addition to games. However, the governing bodies in football and society have ruled them illegal. ‘Letting pyrotechnics off increases the risk of Partick Thistle no longer being able to host games without a police presence. Having a police presence has the potential to see the club incur substantial and damaging costs. ‘Please continue to back the club with all the noise and colour that has been on display but please not at the expense of safety. ’ It was also reported that a police officer was injured in the disorder on the streets, much of which was filmed on camera. Some smoke bombs were thrown on to the playing surface by the visiting Thistle fans Footage began circulating on social media and, in one clip, a supporter was seen to grab a plant pot from a nearby garden and hurl it into a crowd. There were also reports of cars being damaged as a result of the objects being thrown from both sides. Scottish football has a serious problem on its hands with this stuff. A problem which not only refuses to go away, but one which is actually getting worse. Partick Thistle can testify to this perhaps more than any other club due to various instances of fan disorder over recent months. As well as the games against Ayr and Falkirk, Thistle’s matches against Greenock Morton this season have also been hit by off-field issues among fans. On Hogmanay, two young Morton supporters were reportedly assaulted, robbed, and had personal belongings damaged. Some stolen items were later displayed on social media by individuals identifying as Partick Thistle fans. In February’s return fixture at Firhill, three young Thistle fans were subjected to similar treatment, prompting police involvement. Thistle fans had also performed a pitch invasion in their league win over Falkirk recently It is no surprise, then, that Thistle have made such a public plea for punters to behave themselves at tonight’s play-off semi-final clash with Livingston. Thistle have long had a reputation in Scottish football as a relatively harmless and inoffensive football club. Rightly or wrongly, a large section of their fanbase are viewed as well-to-do, middle-class types from Glasgow’s west end. The notion of them having a problem with fan disorder feels slightly incongruous with the wider public perception of the club. But Thistle’s current problems serve as a microcosm of a growing sub-culture throughout Scottish football. A sub-culture which is based on a sense of self-entitlement among some supporters and a belief that they can do whatever the hell they want without reproach or recrimination. A sub-culture which, as research shows, has inextricable links to drug abuse. Where football yobs in the 80s were fuelled by booze, cocaine now tends to be the weapon of choice. A sub-culture which fixates on social media. As the age profile of these groups has lowered, they post their rammies all over the likes of Facebook and Tik Tok. Back in 2023, research carried out by the University of Stirling found that substance abuse now often plays a key role in the match-day experience of young supporters. In their findings, they said: ‘Drug taking at football matches has superseded alcohol as a major safety concern, according to new research led by health and behaviour experts at the University of Stirling. Rangers substitute Kasanwirjo clears a glass bottle from the Ibrox pitch earlier this month ‘The research, which sought to explore the relationship between football fans and alcohol, found that both match-goers and organisations involved in match safety had noticed an increased use of cocaine by supporters. ‘One police representative described cocaine use as “extensive” and believed it had become a more influential factor in matchday violence and antisocial behaviour. ’ Scotland is not alone in this. Over the past few days, there have been some high-profile instances of fan disorder on the continent. In Spain, Sevilla’s squad were forced to spend the night at their training facility on Saturday after they were targeted in ‘violent attacks’ by supporters. A statement released by the club condemned ‘organised vandalism’ at the training complex after Sevilla’s 3-2 loss at Celta Vigo. Footage on social media appeared to show a large group of supporters chanting outside of the facility with pyrotechnics, while another shows them tearing down the gate to the entrance of the training ground. Sevilla added that the club ‘will pursue the public naming of employees and the dissemination of private data on social media and in the media, acts that constitute criminal offenses. ’ Hamburg supporters invaded the pitch at Ulm to celebrate promotion, with 25 suffering injuries In Germany, 25 fans were taken to hospital, including one with life-threatening injuries, after a pitch invasion at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion on Saturday. Thousands stormed on to the pitch at the full-time whistle as Hamburg secured promotion to the Bundesliga with a 6-1 victory over Ulm. The spectre of what is about to unfold in Glasgow over these next few days looms large over Scottish football. On Saturday, thousands of Celtic supporters are expected to gather in the Merchant City and Trongate areas to celebrate winning the league title. Police Scotland are already bracing themselves for another day of mayhem, especially given the fact that an Orange Walk is scheduled to pass by not far from the Trongate. Depressingly, these scenes have now become the norm in recent years. Something of an annual tradition, parts of the city centre are overrun and trashed by football supporters. Last year, 19 people were arrested and four police officers were injured, with some shops also being vandalised. Celtic supporters gather in Trongate to celebrate their club winning the league last season A clean-up bill of close to £90, 000 came as a result of the booze-fuelled mayhem, footed by the city council and, ultimately, the taxpayer. This new craze goes as far back as Rangers winning the title during the pandemic and George Square being trashed by thousands of supporters. It is as though winning the league title makes some fans feel like they are off the leash for a day and have free rein to terrorise the city centre. They are drunk on a sense of self-entitlement and feel like they are above the law. The city centre becomes their playground and all hell breaks loose. Nobody would begrudge fans the right to celebrate and enjoy themselves. But not when it comes at the expense of the safety of those around them.

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