Support
Melbourne Victory has the largest supporter base in Australia and has consistently set record highs in membership and attendance.
In January 2011, the HORDA active group was suspected to have stolen a Melbourne Heart banner. In the following games, HORDA banners were banned, which led to great protest from the Northern Terrace active members. At the following games, there was an increase in police and security present at the active area. Fans that were perceived as being "too aggressive" were escorted from the terrace, and in some cases fined or banned from the terrace. This led to the fans' anger escalating as they protested against the police control. On 2 February 2011, the fans from the Northern Terrace organised a silent protest for the Melbourne Victory – Newcastle Jets match. They left the Northern Terrace empty, and had a banner saying "No fans no past no future – without us you are nothing", "NT United". The banner was later confiscated by the police.
In February 2011, Victoria Police said they were reluctant to cover Melbourne Victory games because of unacceptable behaviour by fans. Problems included violence, anti-social behaviour and the lighting of flares.
Read more about this topic: Melbourne Victory FC
Famous quotes containing the word support:
“There is much to support the view that it is clothes that wear us, and not we, them; we may make them take the mould of arm or breast, but they mould our hearts, our brains, our tongues to their liking.”
—Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)
“‘Tis not enough to help the feeble up,
But to support him after.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Never support two weaknesses at the same time. It’s your combination sinners—your lecherous liars and your miserly drunkards—who dishonor the vices and bring them into bad repute.”
—Thornton Wilder (1897–1975)