Not all pitch invaders want a selfie
When Manchester United played Juventus last week there were three pitch invaders.
all were presumed to be seeking a selfie with cristiano ronaldo, and one even got lucky. as he was being manhandled away by stewards he managed to hand the player his smart phone, and ronaldo obliged.
the chap in the seat next to mine was outraged at the rough treatment. ‘come on,’ he shouted, ‘they’re only kids.’
they were a bit older than kids, actually, but no matter who they were, stewards cannot allow intruders to roam free. What if they do nothing and the first fan gets his selfie? then another comes on; then another. What if 100 fans decide they want a selfie with ronaldo; or 1,000?
anything that is not stopped is encouraged. there was a pitch invader at West ham on Wednesday, then a second late in the game. People are copy cats — that’s how these encroachments start. a handful get on, others follow.
and what if, among that number, is not a fan who loves ronaldo, but one who loathes him and wishes him harm? how are stewards to identify that individual, amid a melee?
now, it transpires that one of the intruders may not have been so harmless after all. he had toy guns in the backpack he left at his seat, and has subsequently been sectioned under the Mental health act.
he may just be a person with an illness who meant no harm. even so, we cannot presume that every pitch invader intends nothing more nefarious than saying cheese.