Some fans ‘determined to destroy’ clubs reputation

Reputational damage has been caused to Linfield Football Club due to a “small element” of fans, according to chairman Roy McGivern.

The Belfast club were fined €10,000 (£8,727) for the “racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters” and €2,000 (£1,745) for the lighting of fireworks in Windsor Park during their Champions League qualifier against Shelbourne.

The Irish Premiership champions were also handed a partial stadium ban, which is suspended for two years.

Mr McGivern said: “Some supporters only come to the bigger games and indulge in sectarian behaviour and light pyrotechnics and it has to stop.”

Speaking to BBC News NI, the chairman said the board had spent spent long hours discussing the problem of sectarianism over a number of years.

He said the club held meetings with the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), supporters groups and local representatives.

“We try to make progress and promote positive behaviours and to an extent it has worked, but when big games come around there is an element who seem determined to damage the reputation of the club, not just financially, but also it is very important to us, our reputation, in terms of sponsorship,” he said.

Responding to the sanction at the time, Linfield noted their “extreme disappointment”, adding: “This sanction is as a result of sectarian chanting and the use of flares by individuals who would profess to be our supporters.

“The club has repeatedly urged its supporters to refrain from all forms of sectarian and discriminatory chanting at our games and also to avoid the use of pyrotechnics.”

Linfield manager David Healy said the board are “at their wits’ end”.

Healy said a “very small minority” had “let the club down”, and emphasised the vast majority of supporters make up “a brilliant fan base”.

The Windsor Park game finished 1-1 with Dubliners Shelbourne progressing 2-1 on aggregate.