On the pitch

[Loafer]

Players should carry Stanley knives in their shinpads or a shank or shiv of some sorts for protection

[Winston Biscuit]

https://mobile.twitter.com/skysportspl/status/1528446811735826433?s=24&t=xFQfJXfxjXSG6ONebAugGw

[AthleticoSpizz]

I think the media have tried to make a bigger deal of it than happened tbh.

The Forest incident was an absolute disgrace, and the media have taken that and run with it.

it’s gone on for years (Ipswich ‘87 anyone?)

However, three events within the last week is actually newsworthy.

Is there a badge of honour to be gained for the mongskulls?

[Winston Biscuit]

I think the media have tried to make a bigger deal of it than happened tbh.

The Forest incident was an absolute disgrace, and the media have taken that and run with it.

it’s gone on for years (Ipswich ‘87 anyone?)

However, three events within the last week is actually newsworthy.

Is there a badge of honour to be gained for the mongskulls?

Maybe I have genuinely missed one of two of them, but apart from the Billy Sharpe one I am struggling to see anything newsworthy from fans running on the pitch

[AthleticoSpizz]

Swindon Player(s) being physically assaulted at Port Vale, Villa goalkeeper being assaulted at Citeh….catch -up

[NathStPaul]

The recent pitch invasions have gone too far, actual assaults are taking place. Behind closed doors games for the offending clubs is appropriate.

[Winston Biscuit]

Swindon Player(s) being physically assaulted at Port Vale, Villa goalkeeper being assaulted at Citeh….catch -up

This one?

https://mobile.twitter.com/skysportspl/status/1528446811735826433?s=24&t=xFQfJXfxjXSG6ONebAugGw

[AthleticoSpizz]

Yes…pathetic.

[Loafer]

And then football fans moan and cry about why they can't drink in grounds like rugby fans
You oxf*rd wonder why

[Loafer]

Options for me are (in order):

Ban fans from games. Not just people who attack but everybody who steps foot on a pitch. Shouldn't be hard to get seat numbers. Stepping foot on a pitch should be an offence.

Ban fans and go behind closed doors.

Points removed.

Netting up, and section off seats so they cannot get down.

Water cannons or weapons given to players.

[Green]

Just Green doing his whole contrarian thing

Heaven forbid somebody disagrees with you eh, genome?

Although you must get that a lot.

[NathStPaul]

Green having a mare.

[Dirk Gently]

I don't get it. Pitch invasions have been fine for years. Why are fans suddenly assaulting players?

Post-pandemic bellendry?

Seen a lot of speculation linking the rise in aggression and loutish behaviour to the rise of cocaine use at matches.

Not sure how true it actually is, but i do think there's something in it - so maybe the old-skool hoolies have been priced out, but some of the affluent casuals who've replaced them might be coked up to the eyeballs

[Loafer]

Just Green doing his whole contrarian thing

Heaven forbid somebody disagrees with you eh, genome?

Although you must get that a lot.

+1

[Loafer]

I don't get it. Pitch invasions have been fine for years. Why are fans suddenly assaulting players?

Post-pandemic bellendry?

Seen a lot of speculation linking the rise in aggression and loutish behaviour to the rise of cocaine use at matches.

Not sure how true it actually is, but i do think there's something in it - so maybe the old-skool hoolies have been priced out, but some of the affluent casuals who've replaced them might be coked up to the eyeballs

+1

Hear a lot of snorting in the mens toilets these days

[Dirk Gently]

Options for me are (in order):

Ban fans from games. Not just people who attack but everybody who steps foot on a pitch. Shouldn't be hard to get seat numbers. Stepping foot on a pitch should be an offence.

It is - that's the law now, it renders you liable to a 3-year FBO. But there's strength in numbers - how do you do that to 2,00 who come on the pitch simultaneously.

Ban fans and go behind closed doors.

So punish the 10,000 who stayed in their seats for the behaviour of a much smaller number? And how many need to come on the pitch to trigger it? That's simply a terrible policy.

Points removed.

See above point. And what if the invasion comes from the away end? Leads to a potential scenario of Peterborough sending a couple of hundred to the MadStad and invading the pitch a few games ago - that might have kept them up.

Netting up, and section off seats so they cannot get down.

Why not go the whole hog and have fences up to keep supporters in place?

Water cannons or weapons given to players.

I can think of some players whom carrying a water cannon around for 90 minutes wouldn't make them any less mobile...

[Green]

Green having a mare.

If you're just here for petty squabbles try AE.

[ReadingGlasses]

I'm a bit torn on this one.

The recent incidents have been concerning, and I can see how the players might feel that they're at risk when a large number fans come on to the pitch. I wouldn't be surprised if clubs end up being punished more and more for this kind of thing.

On the other hand, not all pitch invasions are like this. Some are rare joyful opportunities for players and fans to celebrate together. Would the promotion celebrations in 2012 have been the same without all those fans coming on to the pitch together? Or going back further, the pitch invasion after winning the league in 1994? Both of those seem like iconic moments as a Reading fan, and it would be a shame to miss out on something like that in the future.

[YorkshireRoyal99]

I don't think it's the pitch invasions that are the problem, it's the safety of players and staff that are now the problem with idiots running on and doing stupid things. Agree that the use of cocaine and other substances may be a factor towards this as well because in most grounds you can't drink in your seats now anyway, so that limits that.

Better policing and netting needs to be enforced in pitches around the grounds now. I wouldn't want to stop pitch invasions altogether if I had the choice but too many incidents of note are happening now, it's going over the top.

[windermereROYAL]

From what I saw of the Olsen incident these are my observations, when the footage started he was already holding his head then another guy comes up taps him on the back of the head (hardly an assault but he shouldn`t have done it) almost immediately another comes up and pushes him violently in the back before giving it some verbal.
As he is being ushered off by a steward he gets hit accidently i think by a flailing arm of a lad running past. before the steward got taken out by a rampaging fan who slipped.
Doesn`t make it right but I think assault is pushing it slightly.