Why Take A Flare?

When going to a game a supporter ensures they have certain things in their possession to take to the game. They ensure they are attired in their teams colours, their ticket for the game is on hand, money to cover the cost of the celebratory ales before, during and after the game, flags and signs heralding their team and favourite players and of course the chants that have been put to memory to shout during the game. All of this I can understand, where I fail to follow the logic though is when the supporter makes sure that the flare is carefully concealed before they head off.

Whilst setting off flares is a common happening in football, one has to ask why? Fans are not only letting flares go off in the stands now though they are taking the idiotic decision to throw them onto the playing surface or as seen recently at the VPL Grand Final a supporter took it to a new level when they fired a flare across the ground.

When a flare goes off questions are rightly asked of ground security and how the supporter was able to get it into the ground. With with such stringent security at grounds now this is a legitimate question. When I see a flare go off though, I always question the intelligence of the person that set it off and the people around them that surely knew it was going to happen.  

Something else that eludes me to the whole childish concept is why it is seen to be a good idea by the intending culprits. Even stranger is why someone would think it is smart to fire one across a ground where the only thing that is going to come from it is most likely an injury or worse. The game is quite happy to vilify publicly a player on the field who dives, maybe it is time for the game to start doing the same to offending people who set off flares. Lengthy bans are always a necessity but a little public humiliation could do so much more.