Unruly fans derailed Gor and Leopards’ title chase

The Kenyan Premier League is on the homestretch. It has been a nail-biting finish, with teams at the top crossing their fingers in fear that some dark forces may deny them victory.

Since mid-season, Gor Mahia and Tusker have been the favourites. As things stand, one of them would emerge victorious.

In 2012, the same scenario played out, and in the end, Gor Mahia faltered. Gor drew 1-1 with Thika United and lost the Cup to Tusker, who beat City Stars 3-0. It was a heartbreak for the K’Ogalo fans, and many of them shed tears.

Some young players were inconsolable, they wept bitterly on the pitch. That time, they had no one in particular to blame. They had done their part but lost to destiny. Fans opposed to the Green Army were thrilled by the results.

Well, the following season was a good one for Gor. They managed to clinch the league title after waiting for 18 years. Since then, it has been a rollercoaster ride for the club.

More often than not, there has been belief in the Gor camp that the title belongs to them. Although the fans were pleased, sometimes they became a bit restless and caused trouble. This put Gor in bad books with football managers.

The same can be said of AFC Leopards’ fans. They were also hotheaded and caused mayhem in some matches. Points were docked from the two clubs because of crowd trouble. They appealed to the relevant bodies but failed to have the ruling overturned.

Gor and Leopards are the most successful sides in the country. They have a large following of exuberant fans. One would think these fans are a blessing to them.

Surprisingly, it is the same fans who pull down the teams! If Gor Mahia fans had behaved themselves during the first leg match against Tusker, K’Ogalo would not have lost key points.

Fans are squarely to blame for the three points that Gor Mahia lost because of crowd trouble. On the other hand, Leopards missed relegation by a whisker.

We need to take into consideration the fact that the docking of the points must have demoralised the playing unit and contributed to the dismal performance of Ingwe.

At the moment, Leopards seem to be more focused on the next season. The entire technical bench was kicked away and the new manager, Stewart Hall, is already laying ground for the new season. We do wish them well.

Gor and Leopards need a great deal of help. Ironically, that help should come from their fans.

These clubs lack the capacity to control the goons in their midst. It is a difficult task to separate the grain from the chaff. Officials cannot arbitrarily ban fans, because they do not know them personally.

They lack the capacity to employ enough stewards to help maintain order during their matches. We can list so many other problems, but in the end, it all boils down to the fans.

While the docking of points is harsh, it serves as a reminder to unruly fans that hooliganism will not be tolerated. True football fans go to the stadium because of their love for the beautiful game and are put off by violence.

It is an open secret that it takes just a few bad eggs to stop a match with stones. The photo of a fan assaulting a match official during a past Gor match against Tusker match was very disgusting, to say the least.

That mindless fellow may have received high fives from his fellow goons in the urinal, but we do hope that reality dawns on him that his actions cost his team the title.