I don't have any sympathy to be honest. The rule is very clear and it is there to safeguard players and officials. Every fan knows they are not allowed onto the pitch. Even wild celebrations should not be an exception or an excuse. Granted, when thousands of fans invade the pitch there isn't much a Club can do about it. But when it's a dozen or a handful, with modern CCTV and other measures those fans are more likely than not to be tracked down. It could be argued that if the intent is not aggressive but only an over-exuberant celebration, that should be taken into account. I would concede that point, and say a ban for invading the pitch as a celebration should not be a life ban. But fans cannot expect to be able to run onto the pitch and receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
The club may well have turned a blind eye if that idiot hadn't injured Bielik, especially with him being an Arsenal player.
Absolute heavy handed stupidity by this sad excuse of a football club. In a recent era, under a CEO who had a bit of common sense, a quiet word or a polite letter would have sufficed. Passion & spontaneous emotion is what football is all about. But then again, Keohane hates our supporters, & wonders why he is so despised in return.
It's always nice to see the differing views on a subject from each of the forums. I will be interested to see what the view is on ITTApologist.
A couple of people affected follow me on Twitter - literally among our most passionate, decent & loyal fans. Incredible.
You don't go onto the pitch. Doesn't matter how passionate or loyal you are. Passion and loyalty are not licences to break the rules. First you get a few home fans on the pitch celebrating a goal with the players. That will rile the away fans. When the visiting team scores you'll get away fans on the pitch celebrating, which will rile the home fans. Then before you know it, you've got rival fans fighting each other on the pitch. Players and officials have been attacked in the past by pitch invaders. Send out a message that it's OK to go on the pitch and you will have violence before long. Even managers running onto the pitch to celebrate goals is out of order in my book. Like people throwing things (even soft things) onto the pitch, it sends out all the wrong messages to fans.
You don’t go onto the pitch, but you mustn’t judge those who do in the heat of the moment. I know a couple of the fans involved in this persecution- salt of the earth, Selhurst era veterans The club can’t afford to be so crass and heavy handed with such fans.
Was it @Royston Vasey then? I often get them mixed up … hard to believe I know, one is an Apologist while the other is Welsh..
He asked if anyone on ITTV recognised him in the picture, so I think it was him, but he was already on the pitch, probably with Richard's blessing.
interesting Twitter poll now on the go, courtesy of the excellent @HenryIrving10 Its fair to say that Keohane & Co are as popular as a rat sandwich in a deli.
