Fans are being warned “one moment of madness” could ruin their lives.
EFL chiefs have spelt out the message loud and clear ahead of the start of the play-offs and the final day of the Championship season on Saturday. Pitch invasions have become a worrying trend at the end of the campaign, but football chiefs have insisted they are ready to take action against anyone who enters the field of play.
Hooligans can quickly turn celebrations into ugly scenes with players and officials at risk of being attacked with the pitch a strict no-go for supporters who risk prison, criminal records and losing their livelihoods. A Nottingham Forest fan was jailed after attacking Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp two years ago and EFL chief executive Trevor Birch has insisted there could be “tough consequences” for anyone who goes onto the pitch at the end of games.
Birch said: “My message to supporters would be: think before you act. Going onto the pitch can have significant ramifications that may ruin your life. One moment of madness can see you banned from attending football or given a criminal record, while some supporters have lost their jobs or gone to prison as a result of their actions.
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"Before choosing to misbehave at a football match, supporters really need to weigh that up and ask themselves whether or not the risk is worth it. Ultimately, the law is clear. It remains a criminal offence to come on to the playing surface without permission and there can be very tough consequences for those that do so.
"Even if every single supporter means well and has no malicious intent, it gives the green light for that minority of people to enter the pitch who are intent on causing harm either to players or officials. We must avoid this at all costs and even if it seems harsh at times of great emotional excitement to ask fans to stay off the pitch there can be no ambiguity; the pitch is for the players and the stands are for supporters.”
Referee Josh Smith, who has regularly taken charge of Championship games, has seen at close hand how quickly things can escalate. Smith said: “Towards the last five minutes of the game, as you’re looking up at the fans, you can tell if they’re going to end up on the field of play and it’s always a shock how quickly it can happen.
Pitch invaders risk prison, criminal records and losing their livelihoods (Michael Regan/Getty Images)"My first thought when I blow the full-time whistle is to make sure all of the refereeing team get off the pitch and down the tunnel to a place of safety as soon as possible, which includes considering my assistant referees, who may have a much longer route off the pitch due to their positioning. My main aim is to ensure they’re not intercepted by supporters on their way off and are safe but it is a fear in the back of your head when you blow the whistle."
The EFL joined a football-wide campaign called Love Football, Protect the Game campaign which promised bans for pitch invaders, more criminal prosecutions and stadium banning orders to crackdown on the issue last year. And while it remains a tiny minority who cause trouble at football matches, it is a big concern ahead of key games in the season.
There was crowd trouble during West Brom vs Wolves in the FA Cup in January (Jack Thomas/Wolves via Getty Images)The EFL have taken major steps including better training for stewards and clear messaging for supporters about the risks involved, telling them they could face prosecution. Police and stewards are on red-alert ahead of key games to protect the safety of players and match officials.
Clubs have also engaged as they have taken “restorative justice” against fans who cause trouble. Portsmouth won an EFL award in 2019 on the back of their work with fans after several incidents of crowd trouble. Trouble makers have been employed as stewards and selling tickets in an effort to help them understand the risks and dangers involved.
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