Credit: Imago

Richie Mills

Thu 12 March 2026 20:10, UK

Simon Jordan has questioned whether Jimmy Savile fan songs should be classed as “tragedy chanting” following a plea from Leeds United.

Leeds have asked the Crown Prosecution Service to crack down on fan chants relating to Savile, who was born in the city but held no affiliation with the club, by making them public order offences.

In 2023, the CPS – which outlines tragedy chanting as “tragedy-related abuse” such as the deaths of Leeds fans in Istanbul in 2000 or the Hillsborough disaster – imposed tough laws and said they could be prosecuted as a public order offence, resulting in possible football banning orders.

However, Savile chants, which are regularly heard at Elland Road from away fans, aren’t covered by current legislation as they are not related to football.

The Yorkshire side have since asked the CPS and footballing authorities to broaden the scope of this law, and now ex-Crystal Palace chairman Jordan has had his say on matchday chants.

Simon Jordan contrasts Leeds’ plea to other ‘tragic’ events

Jordan said he had no problem with Leeds’ request to the CPS and the footballing authorities; however, he did wonder if it should be in the same category as tragedy chanting for fatal accidents or stadium disasters.

He added that this matter is a “balancing act” between being offended by something and whether it goes beyond that

Speaking on talkSPORT, Jordan said: “It’s a balancing act between being offended by something and something having the connotation of a tragedy.

“And there’s an argument to suggest that what happened with Jimmy Savile has elements of tragedy attached to it for those who were victims of it. And it ruined lives.

“So there was a case to be argued, but you’re blowing into the wind of what football fans will and won’t do, and what they will next say, which is offensive. No one has the right not to be offended.

“There’s a balancing act between lionising terrible, tragic events like Hillsborough and other events that we’ve seen tragedy chanting for years and years. I’m gonna imagine Leeds fans were participating in it. They sang about the 1958 Munich crash and turned it into a parody song.”

When opposition fans have sung Savile chants at Elland Road, Leeds fans have sometimes responded in kind. Incidentally, Jordan was hopeful that this could lead to positive change, but appeared to have his doubts about that.

He added, “I’m not offended by Leeds making an application to the CPS. I’m interested in understanding what the measurements would be to define what is a tragedy song. Does it have to be legacy football clubs that have had these tragic events that can make these cases?  

“I don’t have an issue with it. So I think there’s a case to answer. Will it achieve things? Will it stop the culture of football? Will it make them think twice? Yeah, maybe. “

Leeds face crucial period in relegation fight

For much of the winter period, Leeds kept a decent buffer between themselves and the Premier League relegation zone.

However, a resurgent West Ham has brought the relegation-threatened pack much closer together, so much so that the 18th-placed Hammers are just three points behind Leeds in 15th.

What hasn’t helped their cause is that Daniel Farke’s side have lost their last two league games, although Leeds did beat Norwich City in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Next up, Leeds travel to a rejuvenated Crystal Palace, who not all that long ago looked like they could get sucked into a relegation fight.

But three wins in their last five games have lifted them 10 points clear of the bottom three. After the Selhurst Park trip, Leeds host Brentford before the international break rolls around.

If Leeds want to stay up, they may need to win at least one of these games. If not, they could be in the drop zone again.