But no-one told the fans and the louts to not just congregate outside the stadium but to behave in such an awful drunken, drugged-up and violent manner. They cannot be absolved of responsibility because the authorities messed up.

So, if we are all agreed football has to get its own house in order, how should they do it? It is almost an impossible question to answer for such a complex, intertwined societal issue, but there are obvious measures that can be taken.

First, security needs to be increased. That is clear. For years football has cut corners on footing policing bills, relying more heavily on stewards, and that has to stop. Until at least this trend is contained. A fan will think twice if it is a police officer or a professional security guard in their way rather than just a steward.

But we do not want to divert police resources and that can only be a short-term measure. Stewarding is a big issue – as the Euros highlighted. At Wembley there were just a bunch of poorly-paid kids. That has to stop. Clubs need to recruit more experienced, better-trained stewards and to do that they have to pay them properly. There needs to be a national standard in ability and wages.

Punishments have to be beefed up. Clubs have to extend stadium bans but also to push for criminal prosecution against offenders. The authorities also have to look at punishing clubs who do not do enough. The threat of fines and, ultimately, a points deduction would concentrate minds and fans should have to sign a charter to agree to a minimum standard of behaviour if they do not want this to happen.

Finally, and in a more long-term measure, there needs to be what is termed ‘fan coaching’ which is something that has developed in Belgium and was started by Standard Liege back in the 1980s. The programme educates fans on how to behave, teaching them from a young age not just how to play the game but – crucially – also how to watch it, how to respect the opposition and the referee. Standard Liege even have mediators who travel to away games with the fans.

Of course this will all cost money – and football has plenty of that if only it would structure itself properly – but there is a far greater price to pay if it is not dealt with.