Concern Over Aston Villa Fan Arrest Stats
As we gear up for a new season, MOMS will be covering a few things that have happened over the past couple of months that impact supporters, to make sure you’re up to speed.
Last month, the Home Office published the football-related arrests and banning orders in England and Wales for the 2024/25 domestic football season. There were 1,932 football-related arrests across England and Wales— an overall drop of 11% from the year before. However, not all clubs followed the trend during the 2024/25 season, with Aston Villa fan arrests rising by 173.08%.
Aston Villa’s Steep Rise
Aston Villa recorded 71 arrests, up significantly from 26, was the largest increase among Premier League clubs. That places Villa fifth in total arrest numbers behind Manchester United (121), Manchester City (94), West Ham (77), and Chelsea (76). For extra context, when MOMS has previously covered the season arrests tallies in previous years, Villa tend to be around the 50 arrest mark.
Banning Orders in Place
At the end of the 2024/25 season, Aston Villa had 24 active banning orders, nine of which were issued during the season. In comparison, Birmingham City had 51 active banning orders, with also nine new ones in the season.
The highest numbers in the Premier League were West Ham on 112 and Manchester United with 108.
This places Villa near the lower end of the Premier League table in terms of total active banning orders – but the growth in new orders aligns with the sharp rise in arrests.
Arrest Rate in Context
Overall, football policing actions were down – the arrest rate fell from 5.5 to 4.2 per 100,000 spectators. But the sheer jump in Villa’s own figures is significant.
Offence Type Breakdown — Premier League Arrests Across All Clubs
Across Premier League matches, the types of offences resulting in arrests broke down as follows:
- Public disorder: 32%
- Violent disorder: 22%
- Possession of Class A drugs: 19%
- Alcohol-related offences: 8%
- Pitch invasions: 3%
- Other (e.g., missile throwing, discriminatory chanting, weapons, unauthorised ticket sales): Remaining %
In short, over 70% of arrests were tied to violence or drugs.
Final Word
Villa’s on-pitch resurgence has been matched by an off-pitch uptick in supporter incidents. With a new season about to kick off, it’s a good time for the club and supporters alike to reset, and make sure it doesn’t become a trend that threatens to tarnish the fanbase’s generally good reputation, both domestically and in Europe.
UTV
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