Football fan faces lifetime ban after making spectacle of himself
I THINK you need a pair of these, ref... An angry football fan who stunned fans by staging a one-man pitch invasion, then offering the ref his spectacles, will face a club ban.
The unknown supporter, who strode on the turf at Kidderminster Harriers’ Aggborough ground last week, is to pay a heavy price for the stunt. His ban will be for life.
Kidderminster Police have also pledged to take action when they catch the fan, who disappeared from the stadium.
The wanted individual made a spectacle of himself during Harriers opening National League North match of the season against Leamington.
Together with fellow fans at the Harriers’ opening game of the season, he was enraged by a first-half penalty awarded to visitors Leamington.
Sporting a pork pie hat, he walked up to referee Kristian Silcock and offered the official his glasses.
A Harriers player guided the man towards stewards, who were hot on his heels.
The spot-kick was despatched and game ended in a 2-2 draw.
During the game, Mr Silcock also sent off Leamington forward Jack Edwards in the dying minutes.
The fan’s stunt, which ended when he was
the ushered off the field by stewards, has been applauded by some Harriers fans on the club website.
Management, however, have pledged to throw the book at the joker. He is, they stressed, no longer welcome at games.
In a statement on Harriers’ website, the club – in the second tier of non-League football – voiced “extreme disappointment” about the invasion.
“The club, as it does routinely, made clear online, in its matchday programme and over the public address system on Saturday, its position on anti-social behaviour at matches,” an official said.
“Such behaviour leads to action being taken against the club by the game’s governing bodies in the form of warnings and, in some cases, heavy fines. Therefore the club, with this in mind, plans to issue a lifetime ban from all club facilities to one individual, after consultation with the police.”
Kidderminster Police are not taking the matter lightly. An officer said: “There are certainly offences relating to this: you can’t enter the field of play, for a start.
“We are adopting a zero-tolerance stance on this. If we allow this to go, it sets a precedent in regard to that type of behaviour at home and away games.”