Obviously there's different shades of offence with pitch invasions. End of season celebrations are pretty much acceptable, running on mid game solely to wind up the opposition fans is obviously not.
Spilling over the barrier into the celebrations for a last minute goal isn't allowed, but I wouldn't think that should warrant a long ban if they jumped straight back before the game got restarted unless it was a serial offender
In practice, a lifetime ban is a bit pointless beyond sending a message to anyone else thinking of doing something stupid. If the guy wants to come to games in future (if he is even a supporter), he just gets a haircut/grows a beard/wears a hat, registers a new email address and 6 months down the line stewards will be too preoccupied to be looking out for someone they have only seen in a photo ages ago.
Pitch Invaders (note: must create Space Invaders style game were pitch invaders avoid stewards):
First offense: Season ban.
Second offense: Life ban. Game over.
I've watched highlights from two random recent games on youtube in the last few days...Ross County v Motherwell and Northampton v Forest Green. On both occasions lots of supporters ran onto the pitch and some of them looked very young indeed. This is what happens when it isn't stamped out, it becomes the norm. Worrying times.
A workmate of mine lives near the pitch invader. He says that he is a nasty piece of work. He and a bunch of his mates picked on a 13year old lad and beat him up. The young lad is afraid to go out on his own now. So no I am not sympathetic to him getting a lifetime ban. We don't want his sort at Wycombe Wanderers.
The stadium ban thing, I’ve got a feeling it’s less about preventing them coming into the stadium, and more about the consequences if they are caught doing something wrong in the stadium again.
Shoplifters when caught are often banned from shops. This is so that next time they are caught shoplifting from that shop they can be charged with trespassing and burglary.
With CCTV and ticket systems these days you're far less likely to be a twat like that having given your name, address and phone number.
But yeah, people coming to our games looking for trouble rather than just an existing fan getting annoyed and going too far is a concerning development.
It did strike me as odd when that bloke ran on the pitch though. We were all saying how stupid it was for a Wycombe fan to do something that meant he wouldn't be able to go to Wycombe games anymore.
@eric_plant said:
But of a stretch to say that the bloke in the family stand "came to the game looking for trouble", foolish though his actions may have been
Yes, should have said worrying if true. Last thing we need is people turning up just to cause trouble for YouTube and leaving us to pick up penalties, might not have been that though, could have been his first game or someone else in his party buys the tickets, or something else.
Spur of the moment, stupid thing to do, not pre-meditated perhaps like a pitch invasion is. Suggest a few games ban and a stern warning about future behaviour should he attend again.
Interesting comment on the OUFC Twitter feed regarding players entering the spectator areas. I mean a player gets booked for celebrating a goal with his teams fans, but what about running into the opposing teams fan’s areas to retrieve a ball. Must be a law against that sort of thing. Did the OUFC receive a card ?
@Gordon_Ottershaw said:
Interesting comment on the OUFC Twitter feed regarding players entering the spectator areas. I mean a player gets booked for celebrating a goal with his teams fans, but what about running into the opposing teams fan’s areas to retrieve a ball. Must be a law against that sort of thing. Did the OUFC receive a card ?
Unless you have run off areas that are massive and numerous ball boys this sort of thing will happen. Can't blame the player. He was just playing, the "fan" was being a @#@#
@Gordon_Ottershaw said:
Interesting comment on the OUFC Twitter feed regarding players entering the spectator areas. I mean a player gets booked for celebrating a goal with his teams fans, but what about running into the opposing teams fan’s areas to retrieve a ball. Must be a law against that sort of thing. Did the OUFC receive a card ?
Sure Steve Thompson received a booking for leaving the field of play unauthorised (or maybe for re entering without permission) many years ago but not seen it since apart from at goal celebrations. Wonder if it is still an offence.
Also wonder why the club have been cagey on the punishment. Any kind of stadium ban for a person with no ticket history is surely the lightest of possible punishments if that is what happened.
@Gordon_Ottershaw said:
Interesting comment on the OUFC Twitter feed regarding players entering the spectator areas. I mean a player gets booked for celebrating a goal with his teams fans, but what about running into the opposing teams fan’s areas to retrieve a ball. Must be a law against that sort of thing. Did the OUFC receive a card ?
Law 12: A player is cautioned if guilty of:
entering, re-entering or deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission
There are numerous other misdemeanours under this heading but this bit would seem to be relevant to the query.
Thinking about it, I must say that I’m struggling to think of any previous occasions when an opposition player (or one of ours, for that matter) ventured on to the lower concourse to retrieve the ball. They normally wait for a spectator (or, very occasionally perhaps) a ball boy/girl to retrieve it but Oxford were desperately keen to keep up the pressure and the ‘offender’ was so swift that, within seconds, he had given the ball to a teammate and received the throw himself! At least, that’s how I remember it.
Comments
Mass invasion celebrating promotion, survival etc: fine - I'm sure most of us have participated in one of those.
Anything else: not fine.
‘When Beano scores we’re the pitch” . Fine?
Did anyone actually end up on the pitch when that happened?
They should have! See also: the end of the first Wimbledon cup game.
Obviously there's different shades of offence with pitch invasions. End of season celebrations are pretty much acceptable, running on mid game solely to wind up the opposition fans is obviously not.
Spilling over the barrier into the celebrations for a last minute goal isn't allowed, but I wouldn't think that should warrant a long ban if they jumped straight back before the game got restarted unless it was a serial offender
In practice, a lifetime ban is a bit pointless beyond sending a message to anyone else thinking of doing something stupid. If the guy wants to come to games in future (if he is even a supporter), he just gets a haircut/grows a beard/wears a hat, registers a new email address and 6 months down the line stewards will be too preoccupied to be looking out for someone they have only seen in a photo ages ago.
My without prejudice response would have to be yes
Pitch Invaders (note: must create Space Invaders style game were pitch invaders avoid stewards):
First offense: Season ban.
Second offense: Life ban. Game over.
I'd buy it......maybe
Ban him entering the meat draw at the very least.
I've watched highlights from two random recent games on youtube in the last few days...Ross County v Motherwell and Northampton v Forest Green. On both occasions lots of supporters ran onto the pitch and some of them looked very young indeed. This is what happens when it isn't stamped out, it becomes the norm. Worrying times.
A workmate of mine lives near the pitch invader. He says that he is a nasty piece of work. He and a bunch of his mates picked on a 13year old lad and beat him up. The young lad is afraid to go out on his own now. So no I am not sympathetic to him getting a lifetime ban. We don't want his sort at Wycombe Wanderers.
The stadium ban thing, I’ve got a feeling it’s less about preventing them coming into the stadium, and more about the consequences if they are caught doing something wrong in the stadium again.
Shoplifters when caught are often banned from shops. This is so that next time they are caught shoplifting from that shop they can be charged with trespassing and burglary.
No previous ticket history, what a surprise
Bit odd that isn't it?
With CCTV and ticket systems these days you're far less likely to be a twat like that having given your name, address and phone number.
But yeah, people coming to our games looking for trouble rather than just an existing fan getting annoyed and going too far is a concerning development.
But of a stretch to say that the bloke in the family stand "came to the game looking for trouble", foolish though his actions may have been
It did strike me as odd when that bloke ran on the pitch though. We were all saying how stupid it was for a Wycombe fan to do something that meant he wouldn't be able to go to Wycombe games anymore.
Of course, that turned out not to be the case
Yes, should have said worrying if true. Last thing we need is people turning up just to cause trouble for YouTube and leaving us to pick up penalties, might not have been that though, could have been his first game or someone else in his party buys the tickets, or something else.
Spur of the moment, stupid thing to do, not pre-meditated perhaps like a pitch invasion is. Suggest a few games ban and a stern warning about future behaviour should he attend again.
I think it will be a season long ban...at a push
When push comes to shove, I think that's fair.
Underrated post
Interesting comment on the OUFC Twitter feed regarding players entering the spectator areas. I mean a player gets booked for celebrating a goal with his teams fans, but what about running into the opposing teams fan’s areas to retrieve a ball. Must be a law against that sort of thing. Did the OUFC receive a card ?
Unless you have run off areas that are massive and numerous ball boys this sort of thing will happen. Can't blame the player. He was just playing, the "fan" was being a @#@#
Sure Steve Thompson received a booking for leaving the field of play unauthorised (or maybe for re entering without permission) many years ago but not seen it since apart from at goal celebrations. Wonder if it is still an offence.
Also wonder why the club have been cagey on the punishment. Any kind of stadium ban for a person with no ticket history is surely the lightest of possible punishments if that is what happened.
Law 12: A player is cautioned if guilty of:
entering, re-entering or deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s permission
There are numerous other misdemeanours under this heading but this bit would seem to be relevant to the query.
Thinking about it, I must say that I’m struggling to think of any previous occasions when an opposition player (or one of ours, for that matter) ventured on to the lower concourse to retrieve the ball. They normally wait for a spectator (or, very occasionally perhaps) a ball boy/girl to retrieve it but Oxford were desperately keen to keep up the pressure and the ‘offender’ was so swift that, within seconds, he had given the ball to a teammate and received the throw himself! At least, that’s how I remember it.
The unusual design of the stand doesn't help - you wouldn't be able to do that at a lot of grounds.