My view on the issue is that giving up the days like Northampton is a small price to pay for keeping our players safe. I don’t disagree with pitch invasions at all, in fact I’ve always enjoyed them until recently. But, if this is the way the invasions are going then something needs to be done about it. Maybe pitch invasions could be welcomed as long as the home club can wholly guarantee the safety and well-being of visiting staff and players. Maybe stewards should form a guard around the visitors rather than stand in a pointless formation of four lines across the pitch as they stand there doing nothing anyway. After what I’ve seen these past two weeks I would not disagree with more action being taken to prevent invasions altogether. However, I would miss the good ones.
That’s basically my view in nutshell: if you have to come down on one side or the other, then obviously it’s in favour of the players. But I’d be sad to see that whole spectacle end…
Really good read, thank you. I agree with The Sheffield United Teachers’ Supports Club.
I think the recent pitch invasions have lacked that spontaneity that makes ones like the Northampton one as special as it was. I’ve got no doubt that there were Forest, Everton, and even Man City fans yesterday planning their pitch invasion actions out while they were having their breakfast the day of the game. It’s planned, and when that’s partnered with the perceived lack of consequences, you’ll get folk planning to assault certain players.
Football is quite a toxic place at the moment, with Social Media and “the media” playing a huge part. Look how Robinson and PH’s comments were blown out of proportion all over Twitter. Forest fans incensed by, let’s face it, very tame comments to the press. United fans react to their overreaction (me being as bad as many). So it starts to simmer, and Forest fans are as bothered about getting one over on us as they are actually winning. This spills onto the pitch so celebration is mixed with revenge.
As far as I am concerned you pull the tiger’s tail, don’t be surprised if you get bitten. You HAVE to expect a reaction if you get into someone’s face, shouting, jeering and swearing. Try it in a City Centre pub and see what happens.
Never felt the need to go on the pitch myself, and I certainly wouldn’t be goading players if I did.
But even without simmering tensions (see City vs Villa) we've seen it get nasty. It's been a really bizarre spectacle these last couple of weeks...as I say in the article, just conflicted about the whole thing.
Yes I've been on the pitch on several occasions over the last 50 years with the last being that glorious afternoon at Northampton. However, times have changed and the incidents over the past few weeks have to see change implemented by the authorities.
We in the UK we seem to have lost our respect for law & order and the stewards have no power to intervene. Would we see the same acceptance in Europe or the USA?
It's time for positive action & we the supporters should be included in those discussions at Club level which will both help with the acceptance & embracing of the changes for the new season.
I would have thought that the prospect of a banning order placed on anyone encroaching on to the field of play or causing interference on the playing area would be a big enough deterrent to keep a proper fan in the stands.
These have now become copy-cat events with the only retribution being served out on the most isolated serious. Offenders
Yeah, I think you’re probably right. But part of the question is whether the game would lose out, become sanitised, feel less connection between player and fans, if we outright ban pitch invasions?
My view on the issue is that giving up the days like Northampton is a small price to pay for keeping our players safe. I don’t disagree with pitch invasions at all, in fact I’ve always enjoyed them until recently. But, if this is the way the invasions are going then something needs to be done about it. Maybe pitch invasions could be welcomed as long as the home club can wholly guarantee the safety and well-being of visiting staff and players. Maybe stewards should form a guard around the visitors rather than stand in a pointless formation of four lines across the pitch as they stand there doing nothing anyway. After what I’ve seen these past two weeks I would not disagree with more action being taken to prevent invasions altogether. However, I would miss the good ones.
That’s basically my view in nutshell: if you have to come down on one side or the other, then obviously it’s in favour of the players. But I’d be sad to see that whole spectacle end…
Really good read, thank you. I agree with The Sheffield United Teachers’ Supports Club.
I think the recent pitch invasions have lacked that spontaneity that makes ones like the Northampton one as special as it was. I’ve got no doubt that there were Forest, Everton, and even Man City fans yesterday planning their pitch invasion actions out while they were having their breakfast the day of the game. It’s planned, and when that’s partnered with the perceived lack of consequences, you’ll get folk planning to assault certain players.
Football is quite a toxic place at the moment, with Social Media and “the media” playing a huge part. Look how Robinson and PH’s comments were blown out of proportion all over Twitter. Forest fans incensed by, let’s face it, very tame comments to the press. United fans react to their overreaction (me being as bad as many). So it starts to simmer, and Forest fans are as bothered about getting one over on us as they are actually winning. This spills onto the pitch so celebration is mixed with revenge.
As far as I am concerned you pull the tiger’s tail, don’t be surprised if you get bitten. You HAVE to expect a reaction if you get into someone’s face, shouting, jeering and swearing. Try it in a City Centre pub and see what happens.
Never felt the need to go on the pitch myself, and I certainly wouldn’t be goading players if I did.
But even without simmering tensions (see City vs Villa) we've seen it get nasty. It's been a really bizarre spectacle these last couple of weeks...as I say in the article, just conflicted about the whole thing.
Sam
Yes I've been on the pitch on several occasions over the last 50 years with the last being that glorious afternoon at Northampton. However, times have changed and the incidents over the past few weeks have to see change implemented by the authorities.
We in the UK we seem to have lost our respect for law & order and the stewards have no power to intervene. Would we see the same acceptance in Europe or the USA?
It's time for positive action & we the supporters should be included in those discussions at Club level which will both help with the acceptance & embracing of the changes for the new season.
I would have thought that the prospect of a banning order placed on anyone encroaching on to the field of play or causing interference on the playing area would be a big enough deterrent to keep a proper fan in the stands.
These have now become copy-cat events with the only retribution being served out on the most isolated serious. Offenders
Yeah, I think you’re probably right. But part of the question is whether the game would lose out, become sanitised, feel less connection between player and fans, if we outright ban pitch invasions?
I think the bigger question is one of safety.
Given the alternatives of having the fences put back in place and returning to the dark days of watching football
Wouldn't disagree with that!