Eddie McGuire’s explosive flare theory

A-LEAGUE security will have to go to extreme lengths to catch flare smugglers if Eddie McGuire’s theory is true.

Photo of flares. Photo taken on the 13th of February, 2016. Picture: Christopher Chan

GETTING too close to a flare has the potential to make your eyes water — but this is another thing entirely.

Radio host Eddie McGuire has revealed the extreme lengths he understands A-League fans are going to, to smuggle flares into matches.

Responding to a Triple M’s Hot Breakfast caller who suggested airport-like security should be installed at stadium entrances, McGuire had an explosive theory about why it wouldn’t work.

“They’re sticking them up their jacksie, is what we’re told, (that’s) how they’re getting them in the game,” McGuire said.

Co-host Luke Darcy couldn’t believe his ears.

“Hang on, you’re saying they need cavity searches because people are inserting a flare up their backside?” he asked.

McGuire: “My understanding is they are bringing the flares in a cavity — not their mouth ... This is the issue, we’re dealing with complete idiots who aren’t going to watch the soccer, who are going to be anti-social, who don’t care about Melbourne Victory or soccer or the Football Federation of Australia.”

Another caller rang in later in the show suggesting security guards were not permitted to pat down the groin area of people attending games.

Darcy: “So maybe the theory about people putting them up their date ...”

McGuire: “Darce, I hate to say it mate. It’s not a theory. I know it to be the case.”

Darcy: “Maybe down the front of your pants but maybe not in a cavity …”

McGuire: “And in a buttcheek. That is my understanding of what has been happening.”

Have fun putting that up your ‘jacksie’.

Melbourne Victory are set to be issued with a show-cause notice from FFA on Monday as Victoria Police warn they may have to restrict the privileges reserved for A-League supporter groups if they continue to act like “adolescent children” at games.

Less than a week after Western Sydney were fined $50,000 and hit with a suspended points penalty, Victory are set to face sanctions from a furious governing body over their fans’ behaviour.

Seven flares were lit before and two during Saturday night’s heated Melbourne derby at AAMI Park, spectators threw bottles at Melbourne City goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen and a TV reporter and cameraman were assaulted on the way into the venue. A total of 20 people were evicted.

Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane said it might now be time to think about taking away some of the special advantages afforded to some supporter groups, whom he said were responsible for all of the trouble.

Leane urged clubs to increase their efforts to get rid of the minority of troublemakers, adding that most Victory supporters in AAMI Park booed every flare.

“The recurrence of the behaviour means they’re going to have to think of other mechanisms by which they’re going to deter it,” he said.

“At the moment active supporters get all sorts of privileges and rights that no other patron that comes to A-League soccer has.

“So maybe it’s like dealing with an adolescent child, you actually start to turn those privileges off.”

A flare after a Victory goal.

Leane said police put themselves in “significant danger” policing A-League games, adding one of his officers was hit in the face with a half-full bottle of water. “But there’s still much more we can do in this space,” he said.

After last week’s havoc at Etihad Stadium with Wanderers fans, authorities warned they could be forced to shut down games if fans continued to cause trouble. “That was raised by the FFA in regards to the long-term solution,” Leane said.

“In Europe and the UK we’ve seen that. We’ve seen internationals overseas where they’ve run them in stadiums with no fans.

“That’s been some time ago, but they’ve solved the problem in Europe. Flares are not part of the culture of the game in Europe and not part of the culture of the game in the UK.

“They may have been 10 or 15 years ago, but it’s not part of the culture now.

“We’ll continue to have the game running, but as a safety issue ... if that continues, the game is going to stop.”

— with AAP

Originally published as Eddie McGuire’s explosive flare theory