It's this close and direct emotional attachment that makes a football fan different from a conventional 'customer'. Players like Campbell would not earn the massive salaries they do without this emotional link between club and fans. How many spectators in a stadium are impartial observers who decided to spend £30 or more on 90 minutes of unpredictable outdoor entertainment for the sheer hell of it? It must be a handful at most - the vast majority of spectators are loyal fans who feel deeply affected by the action on the pitch, and corporate guests who care more about their suits than the form of the striker. The latter, of course, aren't the 'fans' Campbell is complaining about. But the former - the fans who feel passionately connected to the events on the pitch - are the lifeblood of a football club. Take these fans away and the worldwide game dies.

When this group of fans get over-emotional, of course they often go too far in saying, shouting, or singing things which are usually deemed unacceptable. For obvious reasons, some abuse is never acceptable in any setting. Racist abuse has such a damaging potential and such a horrific history that it should always be vehemently discouraged and stigmatised. Any kind of physical threat is, of course, totally unacceptable - for example if a fan throws a lighter or a coin at a player. Also, while I don't believe that in-stadium abuse is particularly harmful, when it is taken onto the streets or into daily life generally, that is of course a different matter (and we have criminal laws to deal with that). Even children know that the man who pretends to be the pantomime villain is not a bad man, really.

But fans do more than just yell disgusting insults at players and officials. Where emotions are involved, sensible and rational adult behaviour is usually the first casualty. Fans might behave like offensive children, but they also might cheer and dance and sing the glories of their favourite players when they, if you believe the reduction, are doing no more than kicking a ball about. When a player scores, watch him turn to the crowd with his arms spread out as if to channel the fans' adulation towards him. It's not the corporate guests that are sharing the love there: it's the helplessly devoted fans who pay good money for the right to have their say; who feel ecstatic at the sight of a goal or a great save; and who feel crushed and angry when the ball goes in at the wrong end. Football is the most popular sport in the world because of the myriad emotions that follow from passionately supporting a team: joy and sorrow, frustration and relief, anxiety and euphoria, love and hatred. Football, like life, is not all plain-sailing, and not everybody will like you, or agree with you. The fans accept that sometimes you have to take the rough with the smooth. Players must also accept that sticks and stones may break some bones - as might a high tackle or an accidental clash - but names will never hurt you, no matter how infantile or vicious.