Pitch invasions
Discussion
All the rage currently, especially at this time of year with promotions and relegations being decided, but is it just me or, like so many things, is the joy being spoilt by an increasing number of unsavory incidents with players and coaching staff being attacked?
I know that strictly speaking they’re illegal, and that by and large clubs and the authorities turn a blind eye and avoid applying sanctions, but how long before clubs start really paying a price for the idiots that spoil it for everyone else?
We’ll no doubt hear about how it’s impossible to police properly and how it’s not fair on those who remain in the stands, but in the end we can’t have players and coaching staff being attacked - their safety shouldn’t be a topic for discussion. I can see, before long, authorities coming down heavily on clubs whose fans invade the pitch: fines, points deductions and games behind closed doors could all be brought in.
Just think things are seeming to be getting too out of control at the moment.
I know that strictly speaking they’re illegal, and that by and large clubs and the authorities turn a blind eye and avoid applying sanctions, but how long before clubs start really paying a price for the idiots that spoil it for everyone else?
We’ll no doubt hear about how it’s impossible to police properly and how it’s not fair on those who remain in the stands, but in the end we can’t have players and coaching staff being attacked - their safety shouldn’t be a topic for discussion. I can see, before long, authorities coming down heavily on clubs whose fans invade the pitch: fines, points deductions and games behind closed doors could all be brought in.
Just think things are seeming to be getting too out of control at the moment.
I would agree it's getting a bit out of control. Unfortunately a small minority are spoiling it for others.
Should they be clamped down on and harsh punishments handed out? Hard to say. I believe the pitch invasion when my local team (Bournemouth) won promotion was an example of how it can be a "positive" thing, fans celebrating their return to the Premiership and it was good natured with no bad incidents. But obviously other incidents recently in the headlines are not so positive.
At the very least those involved in any violence should be handed lifetime bans from all football matches. Passports confiscated when their national team is playing abroad. Maybe a blacklist drawn up so they can't take out a Sky/BT Sports etc subscription. And apply it to their immediate family as well.
Should they be clamped down on and harsh punishments handed out? Hard to say. I believe the pitch invasion when my local team (Bournemouth) won promotion was an example of how it can be a "positive" thing, fans celebrating their return to the Premiership and it was good natured with no bad incidents. But obviously other incidents recently in the headlines are not so positive.
At the very least those involved in any violence should be handed lifetime bans from all football matches. Passports confiscated when their national team is playing abroad. Maybe a blacklist drawn up so they can't take out a Sky/BT Sports etc subscription. And apply it to their immediate family as well.
Zetec-S said:
I would agree it's getting a bit out of control. Unfortunately a small minority are spoiling it for others.
Should they be clamped down on and harsh punishments handed out? Hard to say. I believe the pitch invasion when my local team (Bournemouth) won promotion was an example of how it can be a "positive" thing, fans celebrating their return to the Premiership and it was good natured with no bad incidents. But obviously other incidents recently in the headlines are not so positive.
At the very least those involved in any violence should be handed lifetime bans from all football matches. Passports confiscated when their national team is playing abroad. Maybe a blacklist drawn up so they can't take out a Sky/BT Sports etc subscription. And apply it to their immediate family as well.
Trouble is, how do you know a celebratory pitch invasion isn't going to throw up a few nasty incidents. Like you my team (Exeter) had one when we secured promotion by beating Barrow in the penultimate home game of the season. It was nothing but celebration with the players joining in the celebrations too, but for me it seems as though every one at the moment has a report of players or coaching staff being attacked. Should they be clamped down on and harsh punishments handed out? Hard to say. I believe the pitch invasion when my local team (Bournemouth) won promotion was an example of how it can be a "positive" thing, fans celebrating their return to the Premiership and it was good natured with no bad incidents. But obviously other incidents recently in the headlines are not so positive.
At the very least those involved in any violence should be handed lifetime bans from all football matches. Passports confiscated when their national team is playing abroad. Maybe a blacklist drawn up so they can't take out a Sky/BT Sports etc subscription. And apply it to their immediate family as well.
I think if the sanctions were mandatory, in the same way some fouls are automatic red cards regardless of mitigating circumstances, then it might stop these incursions onto the pitch. A real shame for all those who want to do nothing more than celebrate, but I do wonder how much longer the authorities are going to tolerate players being attacked.
It'll be fences and netting again before long, especially with all the s
te that seems to get thrown onto the pitch / at players these days.
Morons ruining it for the masses again as usual. That Billy Sharp incident was horrendous, could've been way more serious than it was in terms of injury to the fella.
te that seems to get thrown onto the pitch / at players these days.Morons ruining it for the masses again as usual. That Billy Sharp incident was horrendous, could've been way more serious than it was in terms of injury to the fella.
It always kicks off during the play offs for some reason. It does look like it's happening more and if nothing is done about it other fans will do it. It is getting out of hand and when incidents of violence happen it makes it even worse.
The guy with the headbutt deserves his time in the jail. I can't get my head around how people can lose it and do something as stupid and dangerous as that.
I see Oli McBurnie has also been accused of stamping on a fan. The news reported earlier that a 25 year old man(same age as McBurnie) has been arrested on suspicion of assault.
McBurnie did agree with a post on social media he was trying to step over the guy. The video footage doesn't show that. He didn't need to be anywhere near the man on the ground.
The guy with the headbutt deserves his time in the jail. I can't get my head around how people can lose it and do something as stupid and dangerous as that.
I see Oli McBurnie has also been accused of stamping on a fan. The news reported earlier that a 25 year old man(same age as McBurnie) has been arrested on suspicion of assault.
McBurnie did agree with a post on social media he was trying to step over the guy. The video footage doesn't show that. He didn't need to be anywhere near the man on the ground.
Gary29 said:
It'll be fences and netting again before long, especially with all the ste that seems to get thrown onto the pitch / at players these days.
Morons ruining it for the masses again as usual. That Billy Sharp incident was horrendous, could've been way more serious than it was in terms of injury to the fella.
Thats the only thing that will stop it. You cannot ask stewards on minimum wage to try and stop hundreds of people trying to get onto a pitch. Police don't have the resources, and the clubs wont pay for them. te that seems to get thrown onto the pitch / at players these days.Morons ruining it for the masses again as usual. That Billy Sharp incident was horrendous, could've been way more serious than it was in terms of injury to the fella.
It was disgusting to see fans at my club (Man U) throw stuff at Simone after the Madrid defeat.
As much as I love football it just brings out the idiots and thugs who want to show how hard they are after a few beers.
You could argue pitch invasions are good for the game, they show the passion and on the whole the fans respect the opposition staff and players.
I do though think even though its a minority, that minority is still too large a group of fans who are willing to engage in violent, offensive, and physical altercations to just shrug shoulders and let it carry on unabated. I get football is a tribal sport, but at the end of the day players and staff are just doing their jobs, and the governing body/club has an obligation, and a duty of care, to ensuring the safety of their staff is not compromised - and from what I have seen it has been compromised multiple times. Any fan knows there is a violent element in every set of supporters, and I cant justify the green lighting their opportunity to attack players and staff calling it 'emotional release' or 'celebration' or whatever.
How you stop pitch invasions is a whole different ball game!
I do though think even though its a minority, that minority is still too large a group of fans who are willing to engage in violent, offensive, and physical altercations to just shrug shoulders and let it carry on unabated. I get football is a tribal sport, but at the end of the day players and staff are just doing their jobs, and the governing body/club has an obligation, and a duty of care, to ensuring the safety of their staff is not compromised - and from what I have seen it has been compromised multiple times. Any fan knows there is a violent element in every set of supporters, and I cant justify the green lighting their opportunity to attack players and staff calling it 'emotional release' or 'celebration' or whatever.
How you stop pitch invasions is a whole different ball game!
Driver101 said:
It always kicks off during the play offs for some reason. It does look like it's happening more and if nothing is done about it other fans will do it. It is getting out of hand and when incidents of violence happen it makes it even worse.
The guy with the headbutt deserves his time in the jail. I can't get my head around how people can lose it and do something as stupid and dangerous as that.
I see Oli McBurnie has also been accused of stamping on a fan. The news reported earlier that a 25 year old man(same age as McBurnie) has been arrested on suspicion of assault.
McBurnie did agree with a post on social media he was trying to step over the guy. The video footage doesn't show that. He didn't need to be anywhere near the man on the ground.
McBurnie does have a fair bit of previous! And I agree it didnt look like he made any attempt to just step over the guy. That said what are these lot doing there anyway. The guy with the headbutt deserves his time in the jail. I can't get my head around how people can lose it and do something as stupid and dangerous as that.
I see Oli McBurnie has also been accused of stamping on a fan. The news reported earlier that a 25 year old man(same age as McBurnie) has been arrested on suspicion of assault.
McBurnie did agree with a post on social media he was trying to step over the guy. The video footage doesn't show that. He didn't need to be anywhere near the man on the ground.
It seems now is the norm for crowds to storm pitches at end of season games, simply put the policing in for these games to stop it happening. With the number of people on the pitch you will always end up with a few in there using it as a reason to get close to players and staff and assault them. Its completely unacceptable. They aren't fans, they are just thugs living in some dumb world of tribal hate, thick as pig sh...
coldel said:
It seems now is the norm for crowds to storm pitches at end of season games, simply put the policing in for these games to stop it happening.
Easy to say but do the police have the resources for that sort of thing? I suspect not and I also suspect the clubs won't be prepared to put their hands in their pockets to fund additional resources either. Hate to say it but this sort of crowd behaviour eventually resulted in fans being fenced-in back in the 1980's and I really hope history's not in danger of repeating itself....jake19831 said:
The problem is when idiots attack players.
Or when players attack idiots...or maybe idiots attacking idiotshttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamsh...
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