Most of these people are probably not intentionally racist or homophobic. The sheep mentality that infects sections of any team’s supporters is the problem. They don’t realise that whether they mean it or not, what they are doing IS offensive, it IS racist, it IS homophobic, not just to the intended target but to many thousands if not millions of other people.

It has always seemed to me that the answer is to hit the clubs, like UEFA very, very occasionally does. When appreciable numbers of away supporters are clearly offending, make them play the next away game with no traveling support – and escalate that for repeat offences – but make the club still buy the tickets so it doesn’t hit the takings of the other club. More significantly, do the same for home games when the home support goes too far. The hit on the club’s takings would be dramatic and much more likely to make them deal with the problem seriously but hopefully it would get all the other supporters angry enough at having had their match taken off them to police the situation themselves. You’d still get the odd idiot trying to start something but very few would join in. With any luck they’d be shouted down.

It might be more appropriate to use the sanction the next time the fixture is repeated. This would apply to all forms of abuse – when we go to Old Trafford later this season and they start the Wenger insults, that should trigger a ban on home fans for next season’s visit. Old Trafford with only the away section in use would be a great reminder to all clubs and supporters about what is acceptable banter and what is out of order.

Now to end all wars and world famine….