Sheffield Wednesday consider the use of turnstile sniffer dogs - new ticket system announced

Government figures released earlier this year suggested nationwide incidents involving supporter drug use increased by 42% over the same measured period last season, a rise partly down to what police chiefs believe to be evidence of the ‘positive action’ officers and the Crown Prosecution Service are taking to tackle the problems behind football disorder.

What’s clear is that Wednesday too believe drug use to be a contributing factor to incidents of disorder at Hillsborough - though it is made clear they are absolutely not alone in struggling to eradicate the issue of substance usage.

Speaking at a fan forum last week, the club’s Safety Officer and Stadium Operations Manager Richard Stanford spoke passionately about the need to clamp down on problem and expained that in certain areas of the stadium next season, fans could expect to see ‘sniffer dogs’ in use.

“It’s a very good point and it’s something we’re working on with the police,” Stanford said in response to a question from an audience member that described children as young as 13 or 14 taking part in substance abuse. “The substance you’re describing is cocaine.

“It’s a massive thing in football now up and down the country, they can get it really easy and what we’re looking to do now is to start bringing drugs dogs in.”

Supporters were encouraged to text the stadium’s watchdog service if they felt safe to do so on sight of issues, which would allow the stadium control team to immediately identify areas or individuals of interest.

On other measures made or planned, Stanford said: “We have put stewards in the toilets before. It didn’t work because people complained they were watching them doing their business or what have you. We can try it again at the start of next season.

“We do use certain cleaning fluids within the toilets. It’s notorious for putting the substances on top of the toilet cisterns and doing it that way.

“Searching regimes will have to increase because the reality is there that we’re back in the Championship, we’re playing a lot of the bigger clubs and they’re going to bring bigger problems.”

Fans were told that next season will see the installation of a new ticketing system at Hillsborough, whereby a ‘traffic light’ lighting process will take place, designed to ensure fans are entering the ground with appropriate tickets.

Spectators entering the ground on a certain ticket will flash a corresponding colour to stewards, indicating which ticket they had entered on. It will not slow down the process of getting into the ground and is a system already used at grounds around the country.

It is hoped this will help prevent juniors from entering the ground without an accompanying adult and adults from entering the ground on junior or concession tickets.