Geoff Pearson
@profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Prof of Law at Manchester University. Socio-legal research interests in human rights, policing, public order, crowd management, football "hooliganism", Ethnography, and sports law. Currently on research leave.
I'll be on The Law Show this week on Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds), talking about football fan legislation. The other topics on the show are criminal court delays and protest cases.
November 11, 2025 at 12:15 PM
I'll be on The Law Show this week on Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds), talking about football fan legislation. The other topics on the show are criminal court delays and protest cases.
This is a fascinating development in the Aston Villa v Maccabi TA story, using the language of human rights. Collective expressions of identity by football fans are protected under the ECHR and HRA, but being able to buy tickets for a particular match clearly isn't.
October 17, 2025 at 10:09 AM
This is a fascinating development in the Aston Villa v Maccabi TA story, using the language of human rights. Collective expressions of identity by football fans are protected under the ECHR and HRA, but being able to buy tickets for a particular match clearly isn't.
I can lend you this fellow for a few days. Mouse murdering is Wicket's raison d'être.
October 15, 2025 at 1:00 PM
I can lend you this fellow for a few days. Mouse murdering is Wicket's raison d'être.
Anyone buying one of these things pre Halloween deserves the choking, stabbing, or electrocution hazard it will inevitably produce when the clock ticks to midnight.
September 25, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Anyone buying one of these things pre Halloween deserves the choking, stabbing, or electrocution hazard it will inevitably produce when the clock ticks to midnight.
On the rattler across the pennines to @lawatleeds.bsky.social for today's '25 Years of the HRA' event. I will be presenting on Policing and the Human Rights Act.
September 18, 2025 at 7:36 AM
On the rattler across the pennines to @lawatleeds.bsky.social for today's '25 Years of the HRA' event. I will be presenting on Policing and the Human Rights Act.
Looking forward to attending #EuroCrim2025 in Athens this week. I'll be presenting on the impact of the Human Rights Act on UK policing, Friday 17.00.
September 1, 2025 at 11:56 AM
Looking forward to attending #EuroCrim2025 in Athens this week. I'll be presenting on the impact of the Human Rights Act on UK policing, Friday 17.00.
The damage that the proscription of Palestine Action (and undoubtedly some of the policing of this law) is doing to police legitimacy in this country is an unfolding nightmare.
August 10, 2025 at 8:07 AM
The damage that the proscription of Palestine Action (and undoubtedly some of the policing of this law) is doing to police legitimacy in this country is an unfolding nightmare.
Good luck proving the Mens Rea requirement here.
July 25, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Good luck proving the Mens Rea requirement here.
Last year's football disorder stats showed an increase in arrests but a similar reduction in reported incidents. This year's stats showed a reduction in arrests but an increase in reported incidents. Check out the BBC reports. I guess "football related disorder broadly stable" doesn't get clicks.
July 18, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Last year's football disorder stats showed an increase in arrests but a similar reduction in reported incidents. This year's stats showed a reduction in arrests but an increase in reported incidents. Check out the BBC reports. I guess "football related disorder broadly stable" doesn't get clicks.
On the plus side, it's good to see the term 'jibbing' enter government discourse.
July 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM
On the plus side, it's good to see the term 'jibbing' enter government discourse.
Katie Stoker of @uomlaw.bsky.social presents her paper on football player migration post-Brexit at the Annual Sport and EU Conference in Naples.
July 1, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Katie Stoker of @uomlaw.bsky.social presents her paper on football player migration post-Brexit at the Annual Sport and EU Conference in Naples.
The weather gods have heard that the Sport and EU conference is in town. Never been to one of these that hasn't been baking hot. Not even in Ormskirk.
June 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM
The weather gods have heard that the Sport and EU conference is in town. Never been to one of these that hasn't been baking hot. Not even in Ormskirk.
The @n8prp.bsky.social Annual Policing Innovation Forum opens in York. This year's topic is Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System and we have a great variety of presentations and roundtable discussions from academics, police, and third sector practitioners.
June 26, 2025 at 8:56 AM
The @n8prp.bsky.social Annual Policing Innovation Forum opens in York. This year's topic is Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System and we have a great variety of presentations and roundtable discussions from academics, police, and third sector practitioners.
These are the ridiculous and unnecessary instructions for #MUFC fans travelling to Lyon this week. Sick of being treated like a criminal every time I attend a match in France. One day (I doubt soon) the French authorities will realise a good policing operation is about legitimacy not just control.
April 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM
These are the ridiculous and unnecessary instructions for #MUFC fans travelling to Lyon this week. Sick of being treated like a criminal every time I attend a match in France. One day (I doubt soon) the French authorities will realise a good policing operation is about legitimacy not just control.
I first assumed the idea of the RHS "developing" a lawn which has dandelions and clover in it was an April fool's joke. But now I'm having second thoughts.
April 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
I first assumed the idea of the RHS "developing" a lawn which has dandelions and clover in it was an April fool's joke. But now I'm having second thoughts.
I haven't been able to follow the classified Signal chat debacle without thinking of Airplane.
March 26, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I haven't been able to follow the classified Signal chat debacle without thinking of Airplane.
So my reading of the proposed protest pyro ban offence in the new Crime and Policing Bill is that you wouldn't commit a crime if you set off a pyrotechnic while marching to a football match even if you were also protesting (eg about ticket prices, ownership, super-league).
February 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
So my reading of the proposed protest pyro ban offence in the new Crime and Policing Bill is that you wouldn't commit a crime if you set off a pyrotechnic while marching to a football match even if you were also protesting (eg about ticket prices, ownership, super-league).
It's only taken 10 years, but the University of Manchester Law Department finally has a staff photograph board. After this, anything is possible.
December 5, 2024 at 12:56 PM
It's only taken 10 years, but the University of Manchester Law Department finally has a staff photograph board. After this, anything is possible.
I admire and enjoy Spotify Unwrapped's annual attempt to make me appear more sophisticated and cultured than I am.
December 4, 2024 at 10:47 PM
I admire and enjoy Spotify Unwrapped's annual attempt to make me appear more sophisticated and cultured than I am.
This was the queue for the turnstiles at kick off for one of the Stretford End safe standing sections. It's a security risk in itself if there was a terrorist attack (and at the end of it I wasn't even searched).
November 29, 2024 at 9:52 AM
This was the queue for the turnstiles at kick off for one of the Stretford End safe standing sections. It's a security risk in itself if there was a terrorist attack (and at the end of it I wasn't even searched).
After the sad news about #TimothyWest today, I may need to rewatch the superb 'Eleven Men Against Eleven'. A quality bit of 1990s football nostalgia with West as the villainous football club chairman, Sir Bob.
November 13, 2024 at 11:46 AM
After the sad news about #TimothyWest today, I may need to rewatch the superb 'Eleven Men Against Eleven'. A quality bit of 1990s football nostalgia with West as the villainous football club chairman, Sir Bob.