As the football leagues across Europe draw to their conclusions, tensions are heightened.
Whether it be a team fighting for promotion, or just to stay in a league, the tension is often palpable.
So when a team achieves their objective on a final day, relief and happiness sweeps across the stadium. Fans become jubilant and in many cases, this means a pitch invasion.
Derby fans pitch invasion as they claim promotion back to The Championship this afternoon! #DCFC
pic.twitter.com/LeuvAAfNI8
— Casual Chaps
(@CasualChaps) April 27, 2024
(@CasualChaps) These were the scenes at Pride Park last Saturday. Derby County clinched promotion to the Championship after a 2-0 victory against Carlisle, sparking a huge pitch invasion.
Every Rams fan would’ve been over the moon to see their team return to the Championship after a two year absence.
However, pitch encroachment remains against the law.
The law itself
Created at the start of the 2022/23 season by the FA, Premier League and EFL, the Love Football, Protect the Game campaign was set up to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviours within football grounds.
In terms of figures regarding how the police deal with crowd trouble, official Home Office figures showed there were 682 new banning orders issued, an increase of 32% compared with the 2021/22 season, and the highest number issued since the 2010 to 2011 season (960).
The police clearly need help when it comes to dealing with crowd trouble and specifically, pitch invasions.
Perhaps the most scathing pitch-invasion this season came during the Black Country derby when West Brom hosted rivals Wolves in the FA Cup. Towards the end of the match, there was a huge delay caused by fans fighting each other.
Images that perhaps take a certain generation of football fans back to the dark days of the 80’s, where pitch invasions like this were a regular occurrence. The rise in banning orders is worrying, in an age where videos of violence and anti-social behaviour are so easily accessible.
Other fearful factors
Social media is more desensitised than ever. It can take a matter of seconds for someone to view abhorrent abuse online. Whether it be someone sending abuse under an online alias, or videos of somebody making disgusting gestures relating to football tragedies. It all comes under the same bracket. It’s people committing these harmful acts without having to take any accountability.
This is a sentiment that the EFL seems to agree with. The ‘Love Football, Protect the Game’ campaign lists five things they want to stamp out, including:
- Pitch Incursions
- Football Tragedy Abuse
- Pyrotechnics
- Discriminatory Behaviour
- Participant Behaviour
These factors are all negatives of the game, and are influenced by what younger people often see on social media and consequently perceive to be acceptable.
What the fans think
It’s key to get the opinion of the fans, especially of clubs who may witness a pitch invasion in the not too distant future.
EFL content creators Benjamin Bloom and Tommy Kelsall are fans of Ipswich Town and Birmingham City. Both teams will be playing for different things at either end of the Championship table on the final day, with Ipswich battling for automatic promotion and Birmingham fighting to stay in the league.
Benjamin has been a fan of Ipswich for decades and has seen it all, and he is very much in the camp of discouraging pitch invasions.
He said: “Twenty years ago I would be saying ‘Oh amazing! Let everybody run on the pitch and enjoy themselves and do what they want and have a lovely time.’
“But at my age now and being more grown up, it’s just not safe, is it?
“It’s not safe for the players, people stampeding over each other isn’t safe, and it’s not legal.”
Tommy echoes the same viewpoint, recognising the potential dangers of a pitch invasion, but also taking a more lenient approach regarding why the invasion is taking place.
He said: “I think it’s somewhat acceptable, but people should really stay in the stands.
“I don’t like them if it’s in a bad situation, but in a good situation, it’s ok. People can have a bit of fun and go back into the stands and head off home, just as long as there’s nothing too violent going on.”
Dangerous incidents of the past
Tommy has witnessed two pitch invasions: An infamous incident five years ago where an individual punched Jack Grealish in the face during the Second City derby, and the other a mass protest.
“I went on the pitch during the Blackburn game a couple of years ago,” said Tommy.
“We wanted to demonstrate in front of the directors box to try and get the owners out of the club, which we eventually did.
“I filmed it, but there were a few things I had to cut out. There were people breaking stuff and the police were making arrests, so I decided to cut that out.”
Benjamin also spoke about the dangers of a pitch invasion, and the potential measures authorities may take.
“If you bring in points deductions or something like that, then nobody would go on the pitch.
“But then again, would you get fans of opposing teams showing up, buying tickets for other people’s games and going on the pitch?
“The only way of policing it that’s not through sporting sanctions is literally stopping it at the source by stewarding, and then, God forbid, going back to the 80’s fences.”
Where do we go from here?
The EFL have made their stance crystal clear. They won’t tolerate any pitch invasions. This is the message the EFL are also telling broadcasters such as ITV and Sky Sports, with whom the EFL are working with to ensure this sort of behaviour isn’t glorified or celebrated.
An interesting topic which is sure to divide opinion amongst fans and something that creates a great spectacle.
Ultimately, it is against the law, but an aspect of the game that is inevitable on the final day of the season.
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