BY this time next week the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act will have almost certainly been voted to have been scrapped.

There is a problem with sectarianism in Scotland and much of it is centred on football and it is associated with some clubs more than others.

In fact, of the 42 clubs in Scotland you will be able to go to most of their grounds and not encounter sectarianism.

The Act which was introduced in 2012 did nothing to reduce sectarianism at football among supporters.

Many who are opposed to the repeal of the act have said it is giving the go ahead to fans to sing certain songs deemed offensive by others.

If it was intended to prevent the singing of offensive songs or chants then it failed. Those songs that were sung before the act was passed were sung just as regularly and as loud in the years that followed.

And after the act is scrapped they will still be sung.

The reason they will still be sung is you cannot ban sectarianism. You cannot ban the holding of beliefs that are offensive to others.

You can pass an Act but that won’t stop it. The failed OBFA has proved that.

If anybody thought that Alex Salmond and Roseanna Cunningham telling them they need to behave because they didn’t like what they saw on television one night, they probably haven’t been within ten yards of a big football match in Scotland involving certain clubs.

Telling football fans not to sings songs will make many do it all the more.

Offensive behaviour at football extends beyond sectarianism but it is that which this law was intended to tackle.

And while sectarianism is not exclusive to the two big Glasgow clubs it is clear that is where the focus lies.

If anyone wants proof that this law has not tackled sectarianism or offensive behaviour at football matches then tune into media coverage of the match tomorrow between Rangers and Celtic.

Guaranteed it won’t be long before the hatred is audible.

From both sets of supporters the behaviour that led to this act being passed will be on display in the open in front of television cameras and radio microphones and in front of the police.

The law will be openly flouted under the very noses of those paid to enforce it.

Fans know that the police can’t go into the stands and arrest thousands at a time.

Instead a few will be arrested outside the stadium or on their way or on there on going home via a pub.

Simply telling people not to behave in this way will not solve the problem.

Sectarianism and the attitudes that led to it have been ingrained in some people for generations.

It is a societal issue, particularly in the west of Scotland, which shows its face publicly at football matches.

Scotland has to tackle it and it will take a long time to eradicate it.

This attempt didn’t work. We need to think of something that will.