Pitch Invasions

[jamamafegan]

It’s becoming a bit of thing now to pitch invade. What was once a pure novelty, it now seems fans are using any excuse to pitch invade - which for me ruins the spirit of doing it in the first place. And now it’s becoming an issue. Tonight there were pitch invasions at Everton and Port Vale with reports of Viera and Swindon players being assaulted. A Forest fan has just been jailed for head butting Billy Sharp.

 

I’ve been involved in two big pitch invasions twice at McDiarmid Park. Once when we got promoted in 2009 and again when we got to Europe in 2013 for the first time since 1999. They were good natured and felt right at the time. Another time a small number of fans invaded after we beat Luzern on penalties but they were roundly booed.

 

Have you ever pitch invaded? Is it ever appropriate to pitch invade?

[Meatwad]

Have a few times for the ones you would expect for Thistle in the last 10 or so years.

Do think there's a lot of pent-up stuff post-pandemic happening just now and that's probably a factor in why they're happening as much lately.

[Derry Alli]

They're embarrassing and anyone who takes part in one should be banned from all grounds for 6months if a first offence. 

[jagfox]

This is the reason they put the fences up in the first place. 

A celebratory pitch invasion is okay in principle but the confrontational aspect needs nipped in the bud. Seems a few arseholes are targeting players. This is what happened with Port Vale as a few nuggets headed right for Harry McKirdy who played for them last season. 

[Ro Sham Bo]

5 minutes ago, jagfox said:

This is the reason they put the fences up in the first place. 

A celebratory pitch invasion is okay in principle but the confrontational aspect needs nipped in the bud. Seems a few arseholes are targeting players. This is what happened with Port Vale as a few nuggets headed right for Harry McKirdy who played for them last season. 

After seeing his penalty I would've thought they'd be buying him a drink. 

As far as the invasions go, they're almost impossible to stop if enough people are minded to run on the pitch. 

I suppose threatening ground closure or points deduction is about all that can be done to try and put folk off, although you'd think seeing someone sentenced to 6 months inside would be enough to make think folk twice. 

[Jacksgranda]

8 minutes ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

After seeing his penalty I would've thought they'd be buying him a drink. 

As far as the invasions go, they're almost impossible to stop if enough people are minded to run on the pitch. 

I suppose threatening ground closure or points deduction is about all that can be done to try and put folk off, although you'd think seeing someone sentenced to 6 months inside would be enough to make think folk twice. 

It would depend very much on which ground they are sentenced to be inside...

[accies1874]

There's definitely a copycat element to it all which is (mostly) fine if it's a) at the end of the game, and b) harmless. You've also got a lot of kids running on the park to get a picture or shirt which, again, is probably because they've seen others do it.

There was a thread in the Premiership forum a few months ago saying that fans are getting worse again which I initially wasn't too sure about, but I've definitely seen a lot more large-scale pitch invasions and a lot more pyro compared to, say, three years ago. There's probably been more pyro at Everton in the last three weeks than there was in the past three years.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

I partook in a pitch invasion at Borough Briggs after a Scottish cup game vs Gala Fairydean. I think there were about 8 of us involved in the incursion and Chico McHardy told us all to “f**k off home” which we promptly did.

[jagfox]

12 minutes ago, Ro Sham Bo said:

After seeing his penalty I would've thought they'd be buying him a drink. 

As far as the invasions go, they're almost impossible to stop if enough people are minded to run on the pitch. 

I suppose threatening ground closure or points deduction is about all that can be done to try and put folk off, although you'd think seeing someone sentenced to 6 months inside would be enough to make think folk twice. 

The tactic generally seems to be to keep the fans apart. Which makes sense. As you say the main way to stop attacks on players or even confrontation which has led to players and coaching staff becoming involved is perhaps some penalty on the club. I doubt the football authorities will come up with a solution anytime soon. It may be left to the courts and the local councils.

[jagfox]

1 minute ago, Melanius Mullarkay said:

I partook in a pitch invasion at Borough Briggs after a Scottish cup game vs Gala Fairydean. I think there were about 8 of us involved in the incursion and Chico McHardy told us all to “f**k off home” which we promptly did.

Changed days. A slap round the chops from Brian Clough or a stern rebuke from a member of the coaching staff used to be enough to clear the decks....

[jagfox]

This was the scouse dick that was trying to get a reaction from Patrick Viera which he duly provided.

Are these c***s fuelled up more on cheap coke and the likes? I’ve never taken drugs at a game since dropping a disco biscuit ten minutes before a Scotland vs Faeroes match and I was nowhere near the pitch.... 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

3 minutes ago, jagfox said:

Changed days. A slap round the chops from Brian Clough or a stern rebuke from a member of the coaching staff used to be enough to clear the decks....

You can’t even physically assault or verbally abuse a child these days without getting thrown in jail.

[jagfox]

Just now, Melanius Mullarkay said:

You can’t even physically assault or verbally abuse a child these days without getting thrown in jail.

Don’t know they’re born these days...

[Melanius Mullarkey]

1 minute ago, jagfox said:

 I’ve never taken drugs at a game since dropping a disco biscuit ten minutes before a Scotland vs Faeroes match and I was nowhere near the pitch.... 

^^Bertie Vogts found.

[Steve_Wilkos]

5 hours ago, Meatwad said:

Have a few times for the ones you would expect for Thistle in the last 10 or so years.

Do think there's a lot of pent-up stuff post-pandemic happening just now and that's probably a factor in why they're happening as much lately.

Is it also because of the pandemic that 90% of invaders are videoing themselves on their phone while on the pitch?

[Lofarl]

We did it best.  Everyone else is just cosplay.

 

Seriously though it’s getting stupid now.  Things like last min winners in finals or securing promotion is kind of things that are nice to see.  Running onto the pitch because you’ve been shite all season then goading the opposition players or attacking them is going to see hefty punishments.  Not up here though.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Pitch invasions are f**k all to do with Post-pandemic excitement and everything to do with utter wankers as pointed out by @Steve_Wilkos wanting some attention on social media, interspersed with a few coked up, neck-tattooed welts wanting to have a pop at a player or manager. Gone are the days when a "pitchy" was usually only seen when a lower league team pumped out a top division side in a cup tie. 

That said, I've been involved in two  One when Dundee won the First Division in 1992 and the other after we knocked Hearts out of the League Cup QFs after a 4-4 epic on pens. There was another one after THAT game against Hearts in '86 where a good number of Dundee fans got on thinking we'd beaten Rangers to the last UEFA cup spot, and goaded the fans in the Hearts end. Surprised that didn't result in a full on riot tbh. 

[Michael W]

Nothing other than absolute wankers thinking the fact they have a camera on them makes them invincible and that they can therefore act the c**t to people with impunity. All there is to it. 

The only real surprise here is that said w****r found himself not in control of events and wasn't able to post a heavily-edited video to misrepresent events, as the event had already been brought to everyone's attention. 

The only way to deal with these people is to take no action against the people that end up lamping them and then perhaps the message will sink in. They're looking for a reaction, knowing full well that if they get one, the person they're targeting will in all likelihood end up the one in bother. To them, it's basically a gotcha. 

Thinking also about the bullying thread in GN this week. That's exactly what these people getting in people's faces with their cameras are. 

Edited May 20, 2022 by Michael W

[vikingTON]

Wasn't a pitch invasion fairly routine for the final home game of a season in previous decades (i.e. before 2000?) Clubs and stewarding can handle the situation better by telling home fans that they *can* come on the pitch but that they must let opposition players and the officials off first. The pretence that some puffing no-mark steward is going to put their body on the line if a crowd wants to get on in those circumstances is false and everyone just sees through it now. 

On the other hand, diddy away teams who invade the pitch in play to celebrate a cute early goal against their betters (Ayr at Cappielow, Partick at Cappielow, Falkirk at Cappielow) only to get inevitably pegged back and/or lose should be punished with a points deduction.

Although it'll take a lot to top Falkirk's gormless pitch invasion at Palmerston in terms of spectacularly backfiring, in the form of an injury time goal that helped send them spinning into the seaside leagues. 

Edited May 20, 2022 by vikingTON

[The Derry]

I try to get on the pitch at least 10 times a season.  Success rate each season is around 60%.