Jack Watson
Jack Watson is a 17 year-old schoolboy in year 11.
A Europa League fixture between Premier League side Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham, will see a section of the ground remain remote and soulless when the two meet on November 6th. This comes after independent MP Ayoub Khan campaigned for supporters from Israel not to be allowed to attend the match. Fans of Maccabi Tel Aviv were told on Thursday that they were barred from entering the ground to watch their team following advice from West Midlands Police, citing ‘safety’ concerns. But given the history and comments made by those in charge, is this a genuine attempt to keep local residents safe?
Football is no stranger to bans on away supporters in recent times. The Old Firm derby between Rangers and Celtic introduced a ban on travelling fans in 2023 – not only due to fierce rivalry and high levels of violence between the two sets of supporters but also because of ongoing ticketing disputes between the clubs. In 1994, the Rangers chairman banned Celtic fans from Ibrox due to vandalism. Moreover, European fans have a reputation for being among the most aggressive, loyal and intimidating in football. Mass parades, large travelling contingents and electric stadium atmospheres differentiate European football from British football, prompting strict and heavy policing when playing abroad.
It would be understandable if Birmingham City Council were banning the fans from Villa Park purely on the grounds of keeping locals safe. After all, during Maccabi Tel Aviv’s match against Ajax in Amsterdam last year there were violent clashes between both sets of supporters, prompting the side visiting the West Midlands to be classed as ‘high-risk’. Nevertheless, many fear the council is doing this for politically motivated reasons. After all, European football fans have continuously been allowed to attend English fixtures since 1990, despite strict regulations and their chequered reputation.
Ayoub Khan – whose constituency includes Villa Park – is a close ally of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Khan is also an unpaid director of Mr Corbyn and Zarah Sultana’s Your Party, which was accused of sharing a Hamas symbol and advertising a pro-Palestine rally featuring the slogan: “Until the genocide ends. Until Gaza breathes. Until apartheid falls. Until the occupation is defeated. Until we have justice.” Khan is also a pro-Gaza advocate and was praised by a Muslim influencer for his decision to ban the Israelis, claiming “we (Birmingham’s Islamic group) will not show them (the Israelis) rahma”, referring to the Arabic word for compassion and love. Clearly, this decision appears to have stemmed from his own personal anti-Israel opinions.
Two other key figures involved in this case are Craig Guildford (chief constable) and Joanne Roney (council managing director). Guildford was recently accused of backing officials who covered up details of an asylum seeker case after two Afghans were charged with the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton. He was responsible for creating the risk assessment that led to the banning of travelling supporters from entering Villa Park. Roney, meanwhile, was previously accused of calling a property agent a “massive Jewish bellend” while working for the authority.
Three of the protagonists in the football club’s ban from the upcoming football fixture at Villa Park appear to have made their decision based on prejudice, corruption and concerns over Israel’s visit to Aston, where approximately 70 per cent of residents are Muslim. This decision has sparked backlash from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, who are all calling for the council to reconsider.
However, Shabana Mahmood, Secretary of State for the Home Department, was already informed about a possible ban at a meeting last week. Therefore, there was an opportunity to take this to Starmer and his ministers, who could have had more power then to take action against the council before it was announced and implemented.
The prime minister is in charge and he should have the power to put pressure on Birmingham Council. He must not bury his head in the sand and allow this to go ahead, especially when he feels strongly against it. As an avid Arsenal supporter, he should know that football is a community of togetherness and diversity, not division.
Could you imagine the outrage if the team were Palestinian? One must ask, would this decision have originally been made if fans from Palestine had been visiting Aston Villa to play a fixture? With a suspected ‘two-tier’ system in this country, probably not.
Stop Press: An ex-Hezbollah fighter is said to be behind an anti-Israel dossier that “laid the groundwork” for police to block Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Stop Press 2: The planned ban by West Midlands Police on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans is showing off Britain at its worst, says Zoe Strimpel in the Telegraph.
This article was originally published by the Daily Sceptic.
