SOME may think police have been heavy-handed in taking a group of Oxford United “fans” to court.

We disagree. So would most proper football supporters and members of the public.

The club’s return to the Football League has been overwhelmingly positive for the city.

What has not been so bright is the re-emergence of an ugly element intent on acting like chimpanzees at an alcohol-fuelled tea party.

League football seems to have been the green light for behaving in a way which would be completely unacceptable in any other environment.

No normal person would stand in the street on a Saturday afternoon and randomly shout abuse at another member of the public.

Last week we reported on an incident in the city centre, which saw two sets of fans clash in Cornmarket Street on a busy Saturday afternoon.

Let’s be frank. Football hooliganism is still alive.

This week’s court hearing has made inroads into the group of troublemakers who claim to follow United, dishing out football banning orders to most of those who were in the dock.

Hopefully, it will be many years before they darken the doors of the Kassam Stadium again.