DOB IN FOOTY HOONS BY TEXT

• Amelia Harris From: Herald Sun August 28, 2010 12:01AM

AMATEUR football fans will be able to dob in drunks and foul-mouthed supporters during the finals via their mobile phone as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

Spectators who witness drunken, unruly or antisocial behaviour can send a text message to a special number, which will go to Victorian Amateur Football Association headquarters, which will alert the ground manager.

Fans acting inappropriately can be evicted from games.

The VAFA - the biggest senior community football league in Australia - will launch the MCG-style system when its finals start today.

And it hasn't ruled out introducing the scheme during the home-and-away season.

Alcohol cannot be bought, sold or consumed during VAFA games.

The only exception is for club-organised, sit-down functions where alcohol is removed from the table before the first bounce.

VAFA chief executive officer Michael Sholly said antisocial behaviour could increase during finals when emotions ran high and more people attended games.

"Most people in community football do know amateur football rules about no drinking at games, but because they play in other competitions they try to pretend they don't," Mr Sholly said.

"When you first approach them, they plead ignorance.

"It's certainly not the people who follow amateur football every week.

"This provides (fans) with a way to contact us and we can send a person over to deal with (unacceptable behaviour) rather than them having to do it."

The MCG text message hotline was launched at last year's Boxing Day Test.

Mr Sholly said the VAFA decided to try the idea after its success at Melbourne's sporting mecca.

"We would consider it (during the home-and-away season)," he said.

"It is obviously a lot harder with 125 matches a week.

"We might not be able to respond as quickly."

The Herald Sun revealed last week that clubs in the Essendon District Football League have been banned from selling alcohol before noon on Saturdays and 4pm on Sundays if juniors are playing next to a licensed clubhouse.