By Jack Goodman
Supporters of Leeds United are better behaved at home matches when the team are doing well, Yorkshire Voice can reveal.
Figures provided by West Yorkshire Police show that between the start of the 2015-16 season and New Years’ Eve of that year, 34 arrests were made at 12 home fixtures – with only three of those being wins for Leeds United.
But from the same time period of this season, only 27 arrests were made over 14 home fixtures, with Leeds securing nine wins during that period.
Julie Trimble, press and media officer for Leeds United Supporters Club, suggested the figures could be down to the togetherness of the fans, brought about by the on-field success.
She said: “Fans are happier because of how the team are performing, so there’s less conflict. There’s a real sense of comradery amongst Leeds fans, there’s no fighting amongst themselves at Elland Road.
“Obviously there’s the reputation that Leeds fans have, but maybe we’ve turned a corner. There seems to be less police about, so maybe we’ve turned that corner.”
The highest number of arrests at one match in the period of the 2015-16 season was against Birmingham City on October 3, with ten arrests made – followed by the clash with Hull City on December 15, which saw eight arrests made.
In comparison, the highest number of arrests made at a single fixture in the period of the 2016-17 season was six – in the fixture against Huddersfield Town on September 10, against Barnsley on October 1 and Aston Villa on December 3.
The figures also show that there was only one fixture in the period from the 2015-16 season when no arrests were made, compared with six fixtures without any arrests in the 2016-17 season.
A statement from West Yorkshire Police said that officers were still carrying out their duty in a professional manner.
Communications officer Lucy Price said: “Officers make arrests as and when it is appropriate to do so in all circumstances.”
The West Yorkshire side currently sit in fourth place in the Championship table, ahead of this weekend’s visit to fifth-placed Reading, with 69 points from 38 matches – ten points more than amassed in the whole of the 2015-16 season.