Is it smell that drives soccer hooligans mad?

Press, 20 December 1978, Page 9

Is it smell that drives soccer hooligans mad?

NZPA London The much-studied problem of soccer'hooliganism has been blarted on just about everything from deprived chldhoods to sheer mindless violence. But now a London medical expelt has put forward the astounding theory that (perhaps the answer lies in the nose. Dr Tom CRrk of Guys Hospital has drawn the conclusion ttat when violence erupts on the terraces and iiithe “football special” traiif, it could be because fans ictually smel trouble.

Dr Clark told the Medical Journalists’ Association recently that pheromones or ecto-hormones — the odiforous substances released by humans and other animals — could be to biame. The scents are known to cause a specific reaction — often sexual — in another member of the same species. When fans massed on the terraces, it could be the combined scent that puts other fans in a fighting mood. All animals produced pheromones and all animals responded to them, he said.

"Opposite, attract, but like repels like. That could cause anger oj the football terraces with too much male smtll acting subconsciously m the male crowds.”

The “Daily Star” newspaper has suggested that in support of Dr Cltrk’s theory, the answer coild be to police the trout»e spots with young police women. But the paper pointed out that that, could in itself bring problems. Dr Clark’s studies had shown women were many times more sensitive t o reaction-provoking pheromones than men.