Stadiums such as Wembley have hundreds of cameras.

Londoners are the most “filmed” inhabitants of any city in the world, and surveillance is not limited to the streets – even football stadiums have not escaped the watchful eye of Big Brother.

With 14 clubs in the Greater London area, football is the sporting heartbeat of the capital. Unfortunately football stadiums once had an unnerving air, parents were afraid to take their children as hooliganism and abuse was rife, and standing terraces made fans’ safety uncertain. But things have gradually changed and that is in part due to the implementation of CCTV (Close-Circuit Television) cameras.

Andrew Whelan, managing director of IC2, specialists in CCTV systems said: “I think CCTV has helped greatly. Ten years ago you couldn’t take your children to a football match because of violence and racism, but now I’m happy to take my children because all that’s been eliminated. CCTV can pick out people causing problems. I think football is one of the areas where CCTV cameras have had the biggest impact.”

Whelan described the strength of the modern megapixel cameras used in stadiums, saying: “With the advent of the megapixel camera, we can read the print on a guy’s newspaper; we have the technology now that if you throw a coin it will pick you out - it’s such a powerful tool.”

IC2 are members of the Football Safety Officers Association (FSOA) and have helped to install CCTV systems at several grounds, including Brentford and Charlton. Tony Ashley, stadium manager and safety officer at Brentford Football Club said: “We have an up-to-date digital system which records 24/7. We have ten dome cameras. The cameras are inside [the stadium], and we also have a camera at each entrance.”

Ashley explains the benefit of having ten CCTV cameras at Griffin Park, Bretford’s ground: "you can record more than one incident going on at the same time.”

Chris Patzelt, General Secretary of FSOA, however, believes that the main function of CCTV is to improve the safety of fans, not necessarily to single out troublemakers. “Originally when cameras were installed, in the early part of the 1980s, they were introduced to try to improve levels of public order. We then sadly had the Hillsborough disaster in 1989 and one of the recommendations Lord Justice Taylor made in his final report was that the use of CCTV systems should be extended outside the grounds as well as inside. So the major tool is that of spectator safety to ensure that we don’t get crushing life or death situations in any part of the stadium.”

As Patzelt mentioned, fans safety was highlighted in the wake of the anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989, where 96 fans lost their lives after being crushed, as police failed to control a stampede of thousands of people rushing into the stadium.

CCTV footage was also used to identify the culprits during the recent investigation to find the fans who abused football star Sol Campbell at Fratton Park, Portsmouth. Ashley said that in this instance the police were lucky that the cameras could identify the felons. He said: “It’s always going to be a difficult thing unless the camera’s specifically on them at the right time - that was a bonus [at Fratton Park]. I’ve had reports of people throwing something on the pitch but unless the camera’s on that specific person at the specific time” they can get away with it.

Although Patzelt argues that the cameras' major function is ensuring fan safety, he admits that it also has other uses. “It does have a huge secondary benefit and we will always assist the police and football authorities in those sorts of investigations. If CCTV can be used for that as well as its normal function then clearly we’d be pleased to allow that to happen.”

Violence inside grounds has generally been on the decrease since its height in the 1980s, something Ashley believes is down to CCTV. ”With CCTV and the use of it in the courts to aid prosecutions, it certainly has reduced the amount of violence", because fans are aware they are being watched. Patzelt agrees, saying that cameras are "not the only factor" but have certainly helped to quell violence. Incidents [of hooliganism] are now very infrequent and one of the reasons is CCTV because at the end of the day the perpetrators tend not to want to get caught.”

Whatever their primary function, there is no doubt that CCTV has helped to make football stadiums safer and more comfortable venues in which to watch a match.

Next time you go to a match, remember you are being watched.