DERBY DAY OF SHAME
Footballer punched by yob ends up scoring the winner
FOOTBALLER Jack Grealish is punched to the ground by a pitch invader at a local derby before going on to score the winner.
Last night the Aston Villa captain’s attacker was named as Paul Mitchell.
Former neighbours confirmed the father of one was the Birmingham City fan seen lashing out on live TV.
And a Birmingham
City fan’s Facebook page, which was later taken down, said he manages pubs in the Midlands.
Less than 10 minutes into the game the thug, wearing a flat cap, ran from the home end at St Andrew’s and hit Grealish, 23, from behind.
The yob, later arrested, was held by a steward as players surrounded him.
He blew kisses to supporters as police led him away. Grealish stayed seated on the ground as the drama unfolded. Sky pundit Lee Hendrie, an ex Villa player, said: “I’m all for the rivalry but that’s the worst thing I’ve seen on a football pitch.
“That could have been anything, there’s knife crime... anything could have happened out there.”
In the 67th minute Grealish scored the only goal then, after jumping a hoarding to celebrate, he appeared to be kicked by a steward. Footage showed a steward being led away by police. After the match the midfielder said: “I was walking into position and then felt a whack around the side of the face. Obviously there’s rivalry and stuff in football but I don’t think there’s any place for that.
“I just tried to get on with my job. To score the winner was unbelievable after what happened in the first half.”
Police had to restrain clashing rival fans before the Championship game kicked off.
Birmingham City apologised and said Grealish’s attacker would be banned from St. Andrew’s for life.
■ Manchester United defender Chris Smalling was pushed in the back by a Arsenal supporter on the pitch during the clash at the Emirates.
I’m all for rivalry but anything could have happened LEE HENDRIE PUNDIT DISCUSSING FAN ATTACK
JACK GREALISH came, kept calm and conquered yet another seething Second City derby.
Having been attacked by a spectator on the pitch earlier in the game, Grealish was not safe even when he jumped in among the Aston Villa fans to celebrate his winner.
A Birmingham City steward had to be moved away as he took exception to Grealish standing arms spread in glory.
This was his first game at St Andrew’s and he will not forget it.
These fixtures have always been volatile and Grealish knows the history – as a Villa supporter he was on the terraces as a kid with his dad.
But his celebration here was about calmness in the face of extreme provocation.
He was attacked 10 minutes into the game when a Birmingham fan swung a punch from behind, catching him on the side of the head and knocking him to the turf.
Some among the crowd, equally mindless, applauded. But Grealish did not make a fuss. He got up and got on with winning the game.
“It’s the best day of my life,” he said, ignoring the mayhem around him.
“To come here for the first time, captain Aston Villa and score the winner . . it’s what dreams are made of, especially for me being an Aston Villa fan.
“I just felt a whack around the side of the face.
“I was unaware at the time. I think we had a corner or a throw-in and I was walking into position.
“There’s rivalry in football but I don’t think there’s any place for that. But I just tried to get on with my job and I think I did.
“I scored the winner and we’ve come away with three points. Captaining the club here is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little kid.”
Villa boss Dean Smith checked Grealish was fit to continue, but they did not discuss the incident at half time.
“We didn’t talk about it at all,” said Smith. “Jack’s mind was totally on the game, so I didn’t want to distract him and start talking about it.”
Grealish scored in Villa’s 4-2 win over Blues earlier in the season, but this was better for him on a personal level.
Maikel Kieftenbeld kicked Grealish five minutes before the fan got to him, but the 23-year-old kept getting up, his socks still rolled down at his ankles, to take control of the derby.
His job done with his leftfoot drive in the 67th minute, he exited the game six minutes early, his body spent but his mind still calm. He had set up chances – one that Anwar El Ghazi ought to have taken – and another for substitute Andre Green, who forced a save from Blues keeper Lee Camp.
The stats say Villa have not lost a Second City league derby for 14 years now, a dominance Birmingham only briefly threatened with a Che Adams drive which went wide and two late efforts from sub Craig Gardner.
But the real victor here was Jack Grealish.