Liverpool FC have today announced that the whole of Anfield will be a smoke free zone as of next season. I'm actually a smoker myself but welcome this news with open arms.

So you're probably asking why I'm not bothered as a smoker myself? Well I'm not one of these people who can't go just under two hours without a cigarette so I'm not the average chain smoker but totally agree with this.

With the smoking ban date of the 1st of July 2007 it's likely smoking will be banned in most public areas like restaurants and pubs etc, so why should a football ground be any different? I do smoke at the ground but am always conscious of the people around me, there's a range of people from children who shouldn't be exposed to passive smoking plus adults who are non-smokers who shouldn't really have to put up with it given the enclosed space, it's hard to flick your ash on the floor without it hitting someone else!

This also prevents people smoking spliffs which is also a good thing, there's nothing worse than someone smoking weed at a game as it smells awful.

It will be interesting to see how this policed though. Even as a smoker myself for 10 years I hope this in enforced, smoking has been banned for a while on buses for example but lots of people continue to smoke upstairs on double deckers. I wonder if the grounds staff will have the authority to actually throw people out?

So for you smokers out there it gives you another incentive to quit, as of the 2007/8 season you won't be able to smoke at Anfield (the ban also includes lounges and food areas etc) Better get those nicorette patches out!