NO Oxford United fans were shown a ‘red card’ last season and the good behaviour has been helped by several troublemakers having been previously banned, it was claimed last night.

The team ranks fourth in League Two for the number of banning orders currently in place with 18 – but none had to be handed out in the last season based on numbers from September 2013-14.

And new Home Office figures also show just eight U’s fans were arrested last season.

Police launched Operation Boot to investigate trouble that broke out in February last year before the Bristol Rovers game at the Kassam Stadium.

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As a result, by the end of the 2012/13 season, officers had arrested 34 people. Of those, 11 were banned from going to games.

A banning order means the fan is barred from any live football events – usually for three years.

Supt Christian Bunt, Oxford area commander and a U’s fan since the age of four, last night said the force now rarely needed to police games at the Kassam.

He said: “It should be a community event and we shouldn’t have troublemakers attending. Since that clampdown we have had very few problems. The troublesome element stayed away from Oxford last year.”

Six of the Oxford fan arrests last season were made at away games. Arrests were made for violent or public disorder, pitch incursion, possession of fireworks or flares, breach of a banning order, and alcohol crimes.

There were no arrests for racist or indecent chanting or ticket touting.

United’s old rivals, League One Swindon Town, has 28 banning orders in place – two of which came last season.

Town fans were also arrested 17 times over that period – 12 at home games and 14 for public and violent disorder.

U’s chief executive Mark Ashton last night said he was pleased no Oxford fans had been banned last year. He said: “We work very hard as a club to create the right, positive, atmosphere for the players to flourish and the fans to come and enjoy supporting their team.

“Having been shortlisted for Family Club of the Year again, we believe we are definitely on the right track and this statistic just emphasises that our fans get behind the players in the right way.”

OxVox supporters’ group chairman Mark Sennett said: “Oxford United is always a good environment to watch a game. There is no trouble at home games and that is proved with not one banning order in the last 12 months.”

TEAMS' STATS

  • Oxford United – 18 banning orders in place. None put in place in the season and eight arrests made.
  • In the 2012/13 season there were 11 banning orders made and 34 supporters arrested.
  • Conference team Bristol Rovers (formerly League Two) – 28 banning orders in place. Fourteen put in place last season and 57 arrests made.
  • Swindon Town of League One – 24 banning orders in place. Two put in place last season and 17 arrests made
  • League One team MK Dons (formerly League Two) – one banning order in place. None put in place last season and no arrests made

 

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