Andy Burnham’s Government is actively considering scrapping the decades-old ban that stops football fans drinking alcohol in the stands.

Officials are said to be weighing up whether to review the restrictions, which prevent supporters from consuming alcohol within sight of the pitch — a rule which has governed the English matchday experience for 40 years.

Interestingly, the move comes just weeks after Burnham, who became Prime Minister on July 20, publicly questioned why football fans are treated differently to those in other sports.

Why the Ban Exists and What Could Change Under Burnham

Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham via REUTERS/Phil Noble

The original restriction came into effect in 1985 to curb hooliganism that was rife at the time, stopping supporters from drinking while watching the action in an era when crowd violence was commonplace.

Other sports, such as rugby, were never subject to the same rules — a discrepancy that has long frustrated football fans. As per the Sun, a government spokesperson confirmed the matter is under review, saying:

“We are considering the case being made by some clubs and supporter groups for reviewing the current restrictions on alcohol consumption at football matches.

The proposed review from Burnham comes hot off his first week at the helm in which he championed “working-class culture” pleding a commitment to cutting business rates for pubs, social clubs and live music venues from April.

For all the political momentum that Burnham is currently harnessing, the reaction from fans on social media has been sharp, with many opposing the idea.

His proposed plans have been met with plenty of doubt, with one fan stipulating that current fan-goers wouldn’t want that to happen. “Literally no match-going fans want this,” read one reply, a sentiment echoed by another who wrote: “People that actually go to football don’t want this.” A third put it bluntly: “No one who goes the footy regularly, drinker or not wants this.”

Another fan believed the whole proposal was misguided: “This is an absolutely terrible idea,” one fan posted.

For many, one concern will stand out more than others: the danger of having a pint poured all over them. “Like imagine having a warm pint of Singha chucked over you after Jackson scores his second offside goal of the night against Ipswich Town,” one supporter joked.

Whilst another said, “If I get drenched by beer when Gillingham score after being 4-0 down, someone’s getting a broken face.”

Given the early reaction here, it remains to be seen if this reflects the whole of the fan community, but they all make strong points opposing Burnham’s plans.

Argentina legend Diego Maradona named the player he strongly believed is the greatest British footballer ever.

Maradona, who is widely regarded as one of the best players in football history after inspiring Argentina to glory at the 1986 World Cup before leading Napoli to their first two Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990, competed against several legendary British players during his illustrious playing career.

Arguably the most famous match of his career came against England at the 1986 World Cup, where he scored his infamous ‘Hand of God’ goal followed by his mythical ‘Goal of the Century’ minutes later against a team featuring the likes of Gary Lineker, Peter Beardsley, Glenn Hoddle and goalkeeper Peter Shilton.

Chris Waddle and John Barnes, two of the most gifted players England have ever produced, also came off the bench at the Azteca Stadium that day.

Maradona also witnessed the likes of Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard before he passed away at the age of 60 in 2020.

The South American played against Scottish legend Kenny Dalglish and watched Wales legends Ryan Giggs and Gareth Bale become global superstars, but it’s another British idol who left the biggest impression on Maradona.

Maradona: ‘I Love You, George Best!’

Action Images

Speaking in 2002, Maradona said: “George Best. For me, he is the greatest.” He added:

“With the greatest respect for Bobby Charlton and Kevin Keegan, and [Bryan] Robson, who I love very much. With the greatest respect to all British players. For me, George Best. I love you, George Best!” Watch the clip below:

George Best: Flawed Genius

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

Northern Ireland’s Best, like Maradona, was a flawed genius who battled some similar demons to the great Argentine away from the football pitch.

Remembered for his 11-year spell as a first-team player at Manchester United between 1963-1974, Best – nicknamed the ‘fifth Beatle’ – is one of the greatest players Old Trafford has ever seen and is part of the ‘Holy Trinity’ statue located on the iconic stadium’s forecourt.

Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Best scored 181 goals in 474 appearances for United, and helped the club win their first European Cup in 1968, just 10 years after the tragic Munich air disaster that claimed the lives of 23 people, including eight players.

Sadly, also like Maradona, Best died at a premature age, passing away in November 2005, six months before his 60th birthday.

However, both men will forever be remembered as two of the most naturally gifted footballers to ever play the beautiful game.

BBC Sports host Emma Louise Jones has now spoken out after suffering a wardrobe malfunction during her visit to the races in York. The presenter was covering the Yorkshire event for Raceday TV when the mishap happened.

Jones is well-known to fans of British sport, having previously worked as a presenter for Premier League club Leeds United, and recently bagged a role as a presenter for TNT Sports covering Speedway. Highlighting her popularity, she has 440,000 fans on Instagram.

Speaking at the York races for Raceday TV, she has explained why she had to change outfits during the event.

Emma Jones Explains Outfit Change

Speaking to her fans on social media, Jones revealed that a ‘wardrobe malfunction’ led to her changing her outfit earlier on in the day. She said:

Ironically, she then nearly had another wardrobe malfunction as she looked to show off the dress with a pirouette. She began, “I think I wore this at Ebor [festival] last year and my favourite thing about it is this,” as she spun around to display her outfit. As the bottom of the dress fanned out, however, a gust of wind nearly blew it up, with Jones catching the dress just in time.

With a knowing look on her face, she half-joked, “Ta da.”

Emma Jones Covers Multiple British Sports as a Presenter

As mentioned before, Jones doesn’t just cover the races but has also done presenting for Speedway. As quoted by the Daily Star, she admitted this role has brought a lot of pride for her family. The 36-year-old said:

“When I did the rugby league over at Odsal I saw the old track there. But I’ve not seen it in action. It would be nice to get it back in action wouldn’t it?

“I think this is the most proud my dad has been of me. He was like, ‘Emma I used to go and watch that as a kid, I love it.’ It’s been nice talking about it because it’s brought back nice memories for him.

“We’ve been to one of the events at Belle Vue Manchester at the National Speedway Stadium. He’s been giving me a semi-briefing on the history of the sport.”

She also covers football and once made headlines as she teased Robbie Savage after he called Manchester United bigger than Liverpool.