Fewer Wigan Athletic supporters were arrested last season compared to the year before
and live on Freeview channel 276
The trend-bucking statistic came as the number of arrests made at football games across England and Wales reached a nine-year high.
Offences include throwing missiles, violent and public disorder, alcohol-related offences, and ticket touting.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe National Police Chiefs Council said the police "are continuing to take positive action" to reduce a rising trend in disorder at football matches.
Home Office figures show police arrested eight Wigan Athletic supporters throughout the 2022-23 campaign – down from 27 the season before.
Nationally, 2,264 football-related arrests were made, up from what was already an eight-year high of 2,198 in the previous campaign.
This included 200 arrests for the possession of class A drugs – which was added as an offence under the Football Spectators Act in November – and 101 arrests in England and Wales relating to the World Cup in Qatar.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut just a single Wigan Athletic fan was arrested for possessing class A drugs.
Chief Constable Mark Roberts, NPCC lead for football policing, said: "It is encouraging to see a slight reduction in the number of reported incidents, but we must put this into context and remember that the level of disorder we are seeing across football continues to be much higher than before the pandemic.
"Police are continuing to take positive action to reverse this trend by making a high number of arrests."
In 2022-23, incidents were reported at 1,516 of 3,024 monitored matches (50 per cent) – slightly lower than the 53 per cent of matches in 2021-22.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdLast season also saw the highest number of new banning orders handed out since the 2010-11 season.
Douglas Mackay, sports lead prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, said football banning orders are "one of the many tools available to the justice system" to help reduce disorder at football matches.
Mr Mackay added: "At the CPS, we play a crucial role in tackling these crimes and making our national game inclusive, and safe to watch and play in. There is no place for violent and hateful criminal acts in football, and incidents such as these have a significant negative impact on players, spectators, and the integrity of the game.