22 November
Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph publishes an article by Rebecca Wilson that “names and shames” 198 football fans on Football Federation Australia’s banned list. Names appear with photographs and details of alleged offences, which the paper says range from “violence, assault or flare throwing to general thuggery”. The publication of the leaked document causes uproar among fans, some of whom claim errors were made in the report.
23 November
Broadcaster Alan Jones invites Wilson onto his radio show to discuss the report. He makes a link between the “problem” of football violence and the recent Paris terrorist attacks. Head of the A-League Damien de Bohun issues a one-sentence statement later in the day, reserving the organisation’s right to have “strong banning processes and robust security planning” to keep football’s “true fans” safe.
24 November
With FFA otherwise remaining silent, Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers’ active fan groups announce they will stage walkouts from A-League games at the weekend in protest at the FFA’s response.
25 November
FFA chief David Gallop makes a belated response to the News Corp report, insisting the existence of a banned list is “proof” the game is not in denial over fan violence. He stops short of defending the game against perceived attacks by parts of the media, and says the governing body has the right to ban whoever they want. Western Sydney Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas defends the club’s fans and vows to support those who have been unfairly treated.
26 November
Jones says on his 2GB radio show that Wilson “did an outstanding community service” in identifying the banned fans and claims his comments about the Paris attacks had been misconstrued. He adds that it is “a disgrace” that Wilson is “being named and shamed” by angry fans. FFA say there has always been an appeals process in place for banned fans who believe they have been wrongly included on the list, if they can provide evidence of their innocence. This appears to be at odds with a previous FFA stance, articulated by De Bohun, who said the absence of a right of appeal acted as a “general deterrent” to fans who cause trouble.
27 November
Melbourne City fans hold up signs reading “No Fans No Football” and “Terraces Not Terrorists” before vacating their position behind the goal during the game against Perth Glory.
28 November
Victory fans make good on their promise of staging a protest, walking out after half an hour in the match against Adelaide United. Banners reading “198 Bans, 0 Appeals” and “It’s in your hands” are unfurled.
29 November
Western Sydney Wanderers fans follow suit with a series of banners and a walkout during their game at Central Coast. The Mariners show solidarity by displaying a banner reading “Sitting in silence like the FFA” and “No fans = no football”. The Mariners band stops playing midway through the game. Afterwards, De Bohun reveals the FFA will finally open a formal appeals process. He acknowledges FFA needs to improve its communication lines with fans and promises an investigation into the leak of confidential information.
30 November
Central Coast Mariners fans pledge to follow and boycott their upcoming game against Melbourne City, while Adelaide United’s Red Army say they will walk out after 30 minutes against Perth Glory. News Corp columnist Susie O’Brien labels banned A-League fans “little more than suburban terrorists”.
1 December
Back from a trip to India, David Gallop gives a press conference in which he reiterates FFA’s right to ban who they want, although he offers “fine tuning” to appeals process, and ways for fans to have their banned reduced, including a community service program. But he fails to appease fans by saying supporters would not be able to access evidence collected against them. Gallop’s plea for fans to channel energy in a positive way is ignored – Sydney FC and Western Sydney fan groups later announce they will boycott their clubs’ respective matches at the weekend.
2 December
Fox Sports broadcaster Simon Hill accuses Gallop of “appeasement of Neville Chamberlain proportions” in one of several robust interventions on the fan boycott.
3 December
Recently elected FFA chief Steven Lowy fronts the media for the first time on the issue and confirms the appeals process for banned fans will be reviewed. At the same press conference Gallop admits FFA made a mistake by not responding to the News Corp report sooner. Just 4,514 turn out for Central Coast’s match against Melbourne City, with banners on display in the stands indicating fans had “gone to the pub” instead.
4 December
Tsatsimas calls on FFA to speed up its review of the appeals process while Wanderers supporter group the Red and Black Bloc say they will boycott games indefinitely until FFA changes its procedures. “Waiting until February ... is completely unacceptable,” the RBB says. Sydney FC’s active supporter group The Cove stay away from their match against Newcastle Jets, which is watched by a season-low crowd of 9,155.
5 December
More banners are displayed at matches in Auckland and Parramatta, with the RBB staying away from Pirtek Stadium and just 9,680 turning out to watch. Fairfax Media reports that an extraordinary meeting of all 10 A-League clubs’ fan groups will take place in Sydney on 9 December.
6 December
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou gives his backing to aggrieved fans in an interview with the ABC’s Offsiders show, but calls for an end to boycotts. Postecoglou also indicates surprise at the sudden media “cheerleading” of the issue, which he says has been bubbling under the surface for years. Lowy announces that FFA will meet fan representatives after its regular meeting with A-League club chairmen on 9 December. In the evening, Adelaide United fans stage a walkout after 30 minutes of their game against Perth Glory. “FFA: Can You Hear Us Now?” is the message on a banner.
7 December
Crowd figures for the round are released and the extent of the boycotts is stark – just 40,406 fans turned out for the five matches, 32% down on the previous round.
8 December
Wanderers defender Scott Jamieson says he is hopeful the meetings between FFA, club chairmen and fans on Wednesday will signal the end of the boycotts and urges the RBB to return to the stands for the top of the table clash with Victory on Saturday.
9 December
After a four-hour meeting with representatives of all 10 clubs’ active supporter groups, FFA announce a review of the appeals process will allow banned fans to view evidence compiled against them, where possible. David Gallop says “intention to ban” notices will replace “ban” notices, and even if bans are upheld at that stage, a right of appeal to an independent panel will be available. The in-principle agreement will be formalised at FFA’s next board meeting in February.
10 December
Supporter groups the RBB, the Cove and the North Terrace confirm they will end their boycotts this weekend, indicating in identical Facebook statements that they are pleased to have negotiated a “fair and equitable system” during the meeting with FFA.
