'It is a serious problem' - Eric Dier 'uncomfortable' with family attending away games due to fan behaviour

ByHarry Latham Coyle

Published 21/09/2022 at 07:56 GMT

The Tottenham and England defender received a four-match ban and a fine after confronting a fan in the stands following a Spurs defeat in March 2020. The 28-year-old, recalled to the England squad for two Nations League fixtures this month, has revealed that his mother has never been to an away game, with Dier believing that the behaviour of supporters has "definitely got worse".

Eric Dier has said that he feels "too uncomfortable" to let his family attend away games due to what he describes as a "serious problem" of fan behaviour in football.

The Tottenham defender, recalled to the England squad for two Nations League fixtures against Italy and Germany this month, was fined £40,000 and banned for four matches after confronting a supporter in the stands after an FA Cup defeat to Norwich in March 2020.

The 28-year-old has now revealed that abuse was aimed at his brother during Spurs' draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in August, and that his mother is yet to attend an away fixture during his career.

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"[Fan behaviour] has definitely got worse," Dier said. "For me it is a serious problem. I had some family and friends at the Chelsea away game with Tottenham and they had problems and stuff.

"I wanted to emphasise it was both sets of fans - I am not saying it is Chelsea fans or Tottenham fans, it is football fans in general.

"There are some things I find very strange. It is not nice. My family would never go to an away game nowadays because of it - and that's a shame that I feel too uncomfortable for them to go to away games.

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"This has been for years. My mum has not been to an away game. She would love to, but I would be worried about it - and that's crazy, isn't it?"

The United Kingdom's Football Policing Unit said last season that fan disorder was "getting worse", with a number of high profile incidents towards the end of the last campaign, including multiple pitch invasions.

An independent review, led by Baroness Casey, into the disorder at the final of Euro 2020 found that "ticketless, drunken and drugged-up thugs" could have caused death at Wembley, concluding that there could have been "horrific consequences" had England beaten Italy.

Gareth Southgate's side played Italy behind closed doors in June and the FA were fined £84,560 for failing to maintain "order and discipline".

Southgate has opted to recall Dier to his squad for the final two of six Nations League Group C fixtures, with the Spurs centre-half potentially in line for his first international appearance in nearly two years.

The defender has thrived in a back three since the arrival of Antonio Conte at Tottenham and credits the Italian manager with helping him force his way back into England contention.

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"I don't want to sound like a teacher's pet but he [Conte] has done a lot for me," Dier, who won his last England cap in November 2020, said.

"Tactically I have learnt a lot. Obviously there is a huge emphasis on it with him and I have learnt so much, different things tactically.

"He is the godfather of that system so I feel like with him you're constantly learning and evolving within that system, constantly adding new things."

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