Why panic about a few pitch invasions? - spiked (spiked-online.com) Now in the past we have seen the Gas taking a clump on the pitch here, Warnock, Dave Bamber and more, these behaviours are not new and they are not symptoms of social malaise. Anybody over thirty five will have seen worse at football, anybody over forty five ditto, and anybody over fifty five who went to football will have seen regular violent disorder, and at Bristol City like other clubs the odd riot. Football is now beyond better, and the above will never return. Instead of going down the route of more policing, more arrests, more bans, more criminal records, wouldn't it be better to police, and steward more efficiently what we can predict will happen? Teams being successful = Celebratory pitch invasions. Its a long standing predictable tradition that can be Managed. Police the areas that are flash points more efficiently. Billy Sharp was assaulted by the dug out by a fan who didn't have to evade any stewards or police as they were not in an area that was obviously a flash point. The final whistle. The ref can bring players together, and walk off together to an appropriate exit with security. Control measures can be improvements in approaches to celebratory pitch invasions, rather than regressive knee jerk reactions from authorities and police. I have been on pitches at Chester, Ashton Gate in celebration, its a thing I have not done for decades but as a young kid and fan they were very special moments. Special moments that I do not think fans now and in future should not experience. Perspective is being lost over the behaviour of a miniscule number of fans.
It's special until players and Managers start being assaulted by a few mindless idiots. I've no love for Billy Sharp but the person who broke his nose has no place in a football stadium, or even as part of the human race, There have been lots of assaults over the last week or so and it ruins a good experience for the majority.
Agree completely, I do think they could allow fans on at the end of the season, but after the players and managers have left the pitch.
maybe have a rule that an invaders club loses the game! so 2 lots of fans = replay behind closed doors with no tv or commentary! Also could put in place a 6 point deduction for start of next season ..............
Tend to agree, but one issue recently is the manner in which players/officials have been assaulted/man-handled during these pitch invasions. When Billy Sharp gets head butted (requiring 4 stiches) for no other reason than the fact he was there, it's likely to invoke a kneejerk reaction.
If a man with a beard divides fish in the car park as City get promoted I am steaming on the pitch, it will be the last opportunity I will get to relive my football supporting youth before I die
I was almost certainly one of the original pitch invaders on a Saturday in 1965 at a City match against Crystal Palace at Selhurst. Later in life when I took up refereeing I met my adversary on that day, who was Harry New from Portsmouth, in a Hampshire Referees football tournament and the minute he clocked me he said that we had met before somewhere as he never forgot a face. After sending me flying in a tackle that should have got red he gave me his hand to help me up with the words that it was Selhurst Park where we had met before and of course he was spot on. I did receive a letter from Crystal Palace banning me for life from their stadium but it was strange to meet Harry New again in a somewhat more friendly environment. My actions on that day didn't come anywhere close to the dangers posed by mass pitch invasions that we see today because violence has never been in my books. When I was released from the lock up at Selhurst Park Harry New told the police that I looked like a harmless bloke and how right he was.
