Scots football chiefs urged to introduce rehab courses for abusive fans in bid to help sport prosper

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Football chiefs are being urged to introduce rehab courses for abusive fans in a bid to help the sport prosper. At least two Scottish clubs have adopted the use of ­independent courses for abusive fans.

And fans supremo Andy Smith says a nationwide move would lead to fuller stadiums.Greenock Morton last week banned two fans for life after they racially abused their own player Gozie Ugwu last month.The man and woman ­responsible were reported to club chiefs by fellow Morton fans.Their bans state they may be allowed back into Cappielow if they attend an education course.And Rangers signed up to a Scottish ­Government-backed course, run by charity Sacro, seeking to address sectarianism.Hearts fan Smith, chairman of the Scottish Football Supporters Association, was at Tynecastle when home fans threw bananas at Mark Walters in 1988.Smith said: “It doesn’t happen with the Tartan Army, so why … at some of our grounds?“If it happened with the Tartan Army or at a Scotland rugby game there would be a someone saying it wasn’t acceptable.“Our research shows the ­songbook, and some chants, and the abuse, is stopping people from coming, particularly women and children.

That’s a commercial problem for a game that needs every fan it can get.“We should be giving them a course to say, ‘this is why what you did was wrong’.“I’d like to see not just bans, but bans plus rehabilitation courses.”Smith’s comments come after several racist and sectarian ­incidents this season showed there are still huge ­problems 34 years on from Walters being terrorised.Kelty Hearts striker Nathan Austin was subject to racist abuse in their match with Albion Rovers, leading to his side banning a fan group from games.Airdrie defender Rico Quitongo was racially