Hearts star Jake Mulraney’s girlfriend abused by fan: Where the line was crossed

Why do some people think it is acceptable to shout the vilest abuse when they are inside a football stadium?

Hearts star Jake Mulraney and his partner Aoife McDonagh

Nobody would expect to get away with the kind of behaviour we regularly see in grounds up and down the country if they were in a shopping centre or a pub or just walking down the street.

They would rightly expect the police to be called and to face the risk of being arrested.

Yet week in and week out some people - a small minority of the football-going public, it has to be acknowledged - get away scot-free with acting like animals.

Yes, the passion of the fans is one of the main reasons attending a match can be so exciting. No one wants a sterile atmosphere in our stadiums.

But there is a clear line between rowdy support of your team and simple abuse of other people.

The abuse at Tynecastle of Aoife McDonagh, the pregnant partner of Hearts star Jake Mulraney, is just the latest in a long line of unpleasant incidents.

Ms McDonagh hits the nail on the head. The price of a ticket does not buy you the right to shout whatever you want at whoever you wish.

There should be no place in any sports stadium for anyone who does not get this.