Use of the Class A drug has spread across all levels of football in England, with dangerous ramifications for fansIt’s a cloudy but warmish August Saturday in Manchester, a couple of hours before Manchester United will host Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford. The huge crowds are yet to arrive although plenty of people are approaching the vicinity of the stadium. But one fan, probably in his early 20s and wearing a full replica kit, is behaving rather differently to the rest. He appears to be snorting cocaine through a tube while walking along the street.It is on one level a shocking thing to witness, blatant drug use in broad daylight early in the afternoon. And yet it is by no means a scene out of the ordinary in modern times. It is no secret that people take cocaine at football matches and nor is it a new phenomenon. But in 2025 it is not just hooligans wearing Stone Island that take cocaine around football matches, or moneyed professionals.Pay attention to the behaviour of fans at any stadium, from the Premier League and top international tournaments to the lower rungs of English football, and sure enough you will see some clues.
