Does anybody other than the Prime Minister actually want football’s booze ban to be lifted?

Prime Minister Andy Burnham proposed reintroducing alcohol consumption in the stands during English football matches, arguing it is unfair that football supporters are treated differently from fans of other sports. The alcohol ban, established in the 1980s to curb hooliganism, currently applies to the top five tiers of English men's football from the Premier League down to the National League.

A survey of supporters from Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion, Aston Villa, and Walsall revealed an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the proposal. Fans voiced significant concerns about beer-throwing celebrations, constant movement to and from concourses, and religious sensitivities regarding alcohol exposure, while Education Secretary Lucy Powell cautioned that lifting the ban could jeopardize fan behavior.