18 Jul 2005(Mon)

July 16: The J.League is trying hard to promote the concept of the "local derby" match this season.

They want fans to feel pride and passion about their team, like supporters do around the world.

But that doesn't mean fans have to get too excited by the occasion and let their emotions run away with them.

I know there's a very thin dividing line between the two states of mind, and some micro-second of madness, when the brain switches off, can spark an act which the person will regret for ever.

I am referring to the incident at the Tokyo derby at Ajinomoto Stadium last Saturday, when an FC Tokyo fan threw the narrow lid of a cigarette bin toward the Verdy fans, injuring three people.

The injured included a policeman, and the offender was seized on the spot and taken away.

I didn't know anything about this until after the game, although I had been surprised, when visiting a food kiosk for an extremely unhealthy pre-match snack, to hear the FC Tokyo fans in full voice nearby. I thought this was a bit starnge, as usually they are in their "end" to the left of the grandstand. On this occasion, however, they were in the middle of the concourse.

FC Tokyo's managing director, Yutaka Murabayashi, is usually one of the most cheerful officials around, but after the game he was clearly upset by the incident, and worried that it might tarnish the otherwise positive image of the supporters.

He said there were around 200 supporters singing songs near the Verdy fans, but the actions of just one had spoilt the occasion.

Trouble-makers, of course, are always in a minority. This is what observers say about England fans overseas.

"The problems were caused by a small minority," is the customary phrase.

Well, if you have 25,000 England fans in Marseille at the 1998 World Cup, and a small minority, say one per cent, cause trouble, that's still a lot of hooligans -- 250? Is that right? I am sorry, maths was never my strong point!

The J.League is learning lessons all the time, such as at Kashiwa Reysol earlier in the season.

It is no coincidence, of course, that the Reysol fans and the lone FC Tokyo hooligan commited their deeds when the team was not in good form.

With FC Tokyo finally having won, and Reysol, too, hopefully life will return to normal on the terraces.

It might be a good idea, though, for FC Tokyo to prevent home fans from gathering near the away end and singing songs, even if it appears harmless.

It does suggest provocation and taunting, and that's when violence can occur, from one side or the other.

ends