Why football is getting tough on flares Football fans as young as eight are being used to smuggle flares and smoke bombs into Premier League matches, according to new research. A survey found that a third of supporters have been directly affected by pyrotechnics at a stadium and that eight in 10 are concerned for their safety. The Premier League is now starting a campaign to stop it happening at all matches. Dave Lewis, head of security at Everton FC, explains why the club is cracking down on people who throw flares.