WHAT is it about football that turns some people into utter morons?

On Sunday I made the trip to the bright lights of Kidderminster to watch Worcester City FC beat Greenwich Borough 2-1 to go through to the first round of the FA Cup in what was a decidedly sub-par game of football.

Although I think it would be fair to say 99 per cent of the spectators had made the trip just to root for their team, a small minority seemed to have something else in mind.

Just minutes after the visitors scored their equaliser at the 60th minute, a nasty-looking brawl broke out between fans behind the visitor’s goal, with fists flying and expletives being bellowed.

I didn’t see exactly how it started and I’m not about to blame anyone – although it’s fair to say the Greenwich supporters I personally came across weren’t the friendliest of folk – but it does leave you to wonder exactly why football so often spills over into violence.

In many years of supporting the City I’ve, thankfully, only ever seen a handful of scuffles either on or off the pitch, but looking at football as a whole this is seen far and wide.

Anyone who’s ever found themselves in Birmingham during a local derby day can attest to the utter idiocy of some so-called fans, who seem to be less interested in the actual game than they are causing physical harm to someone wearing a different-coloured shirt.

Likewise, when I was at university in Cardiff I did my absolute best to steer well clear of the city centre during match days, and it seems that a few times every year we see pictures on the news of a game somewhere that spilled over into a full-blown riot.

At best a few people get cuts and bruises. At worst, someone who only went out to watch a game of football loses their life.

Of course passion is an important part of sport. There’s nothing more electrifying than being surrounded by your fellow fans willing 11 men to hold out for just a precious few more minutes – even if it is Worcester City.

Luckily the vast, vast majority of football fans are just in it for the love of the game.

But it seems there will always be this small group of morons spoiling it for the rest of us.