A Watford supporter has been issued with a three-year football banning order following an investigation into offences at last season’s QPR away fixture that were reported via the club’s We Campaign.
This outcome – which relates to the fixture at Loftus Road in March 2023 – follows a Metropolitan Police investigation that was carried out in conjunction with the We Campaign, which sees dedicated club staff working with the hate crime unit at Herts Police to investigate and take appropriate action with all discriminatory incidents reported.
It reaffirms our clear message about there being no place for discriminatory language and behaviour at our matches, home or away, and that reporting these incidents can lead to strong action being taken against individuals.
The supporter, ejected on the day following intervention from the stewarding team at Loftus Road, was also reported to the club by a number of supporters after the match. Following discussion with those making the complaints the matter was escalated to the Police, and the supporter given a temporary club ban from matches while the investigation took place.
The language used by the supporter included repeated volleys of racist, homophobic and sexist language across the course of the match and also contained the g-word, which is the derivative of ‘gypsy’ used at the end of a popular chant about our local rivals and has been the subject of several requests from the club for supporters to refrain from its use.
“The outcome of this investigation further highlights the reasons why we have the We Campaign – which is now well into its fifth season – in place,” said Dave Messenger, the club’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead. “The language used during this incident was especially unpleasant and has no place in society, let alone at a football match and we’re grateful to the supporters who raised this particular complaint.
“There has been a recent spike in reports, so we’d also like to thank the many other supporters who’ve been in touch in the past few weeks, across the course of the season and since the campaign’s inception. Everyone at the club hopes this outcome will serve as a deterrent for those who continue to use discriminatory language at our matches and online.”
Every incident has an impact on our supporters’ long-held reputation for being among the most tolerant and inclusive fanbases in the game, and we remain fully committed to the campaign. To report an incident, please text ‘We’, followed by seat numbers and details, to 66777 straight away. If you prefer, you can also email details to wecampaign@watfordfc.com. The same details are in use at all Watford FC men’s and women’s home and away matches, and Community Trust events, so please work with us to make our stadiums and events enjoyable for all supporters.
