Police were investigating today after Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira appeared to kick an Everton fan who repeatedly taunted him during a pitch invasion after their match on another shameful night for football.
The Everton supporter involved in the skirmish at Goodison Park last night had filmed himself abusing the Palace boss, shouting: ‘Suck on that, you muppet. Get in.’ The fan then gave Vieira the middle finger and cheered, before adding: ‘F*** off.’ But then Vieira eventually kicked out, sending the fan tumbling to the ground.
Thousands of people had run onto the pitch at Goodison Park last night after Everton’s extraordinary 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace helped Frank Lampard’s team avoid relegation from the Premier League. But Palace’s players and manager were left totally exposed and were not properly protected by stewards or police.
Now, Merseyside Police has revealed that officers are investigating. A force spokesman told MailOnline this morning: ‘Merseyside Police is investigating an altercation on the pitch at Goodison Park following the Everton v Crystal Palace match on Thursday. We are working with Everton FC to gather all available CCTV footage and are speaking to witnesses. No formal complaint has been received and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.’
Vieira has not yet commented on the incident, and would only say after the match: ‘I’ve got nothing to say about that.’ The Football Association is investigating, and a Crystal Palace source told BBC Sport that the club’s striker Christian Benteke was ‘slapped’ during an earlier smaller pitch invasion that followed Everton’s winning third goal.
Police also arrested three men at Goodison Park last night on suspicion of possession of entering or attempting to enter a football ground while in possession of a flare, smoke bomb or firework; while a fourth man was arrested for a breach of the peace but later de-arrested. Police added that an officer had to be treated for smoke inhalation.
Chief Inspector Andy Rankine said today: ‘We always want fans to enjoy such occasions safely and we will not tolerate anti-social or criminal behaviour under any circumstances. We have unfortunately seen a trend develop across the country of supporters setting off pyrotechnics inside football grounds.
‘It is illegal to bring them into football grounds for a reason, as flares, smoke bombs and fireworks can pose a serious danger to those who carry them, as well as those around them when they are set off.
‘Last night, one officer was treated for smoke inhalation after a pyrotechnic was set off close to his face, and it is completely unacceptable that officers working to keep people safe should be exposed to such dangers.’
It comes after a series of violent incidents following football matches this week, which also saw Swindon Town players attacked by Port Vale supporters celebrating their play-off semi-final victory on penalties last night.
As the season comes to a crescendo, Nottingham Forest fan Robert Biggs was jailed for 24 weeks yesterday for headbutting Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp on Tuesday after their Championship play-off semi-final.
There was also violence at Northampton’s League Two play-off semi-final with Mansfield on Wednesday where a Cobblers fans threw a flare at opposition players after confronting them on the pitch when they went through.
Luton Town boss Nathan Jones said he had been abused as Huddersfield Town fans ran on to celebrate their team’s Championship play-off semi-final win on Monday. And Everton fans were also accused of racially abusing the families of Brentford players when they lost 3-2 in another Premier League match last Sunday.
Meanwhile Nottinghamshire Police have arrested a man on suspicion of assault after a video appeared to show Sheffield United footballer Oli McBurnie stamping on a Forest fan during a pitch invasion following their match.
The incident involved McBurnie occurred when supporters invaded the pitch at the City Ground after Forest had beaten the Blades on penalties in the second leg of Tuesday night’s Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final.
A video circulating on Twitter showed McBurnie, sidelined through injury, tangling with a supporter who had fallen to the ground. Forest fans had poured onto the pitch at the time in celebration after their side’s win secured.
Nottinghamshire Police have now said they have been ‘reviewing the contents’ of the clip, adding that a 25-year-old man ‘presented himself to police’ yesterday afternoon and was arrested on suspicion of assault.
Police would not confirm or deny the identity of the arrested man. Detective Inspector Nicholas Hall said: ‘We are working hard to understand the sequence of events depicted in this video and have now interviewed a suspect. As our investigation continues we would like to speak any other witnesses who have not yet come forward.’
The Football Association has also been investigating the video, with Sky Sports News reporting yesterday that McBurnie – who has denied the stamp – had been told to attend a meeting with police voluntarily or be arrested.
The clip, posted by Twitter user @brokenkingmusic, seems to capture the fan falling to the ground before 25-year-old McBurnie comes in with a stamp as he lays on the floor. After the Scotland international is pulled away by one of his colleagues, the fan then slowly returns to his feet at the end of the video.
But McBurnie has instead suggested he was trying to step over the fan on the floor. On Wednesday night, he responded to a message on Twitter, posted by a Blades fan, which said: ‘Wish that video was in full context – looks more like he was trying to step over him with one bad leg! Could be wrong!’
McBurnie endorsed the tweet with a ‘100’ emoji – taken to mean he agreed 100 per cent – but said nothing else.
He also ‘liked’ a tweet posted by Blades’ assistant kit man Adam Geelan, which said: ‘Fan illegally enters the pitch provokes and tries to push Rian (Brewster) he defends himself and the kid falls on Oli’s broken foot can clearly see there’s no stamp, ridiculous post especially when stewards and police were stood there watching it happen and was left to ourselves to defend.’
As clubs were told to get a grip on invasions – and a police officer was even seen playing with a football next to young fans on the pitch at Goodison Park last night – it emerged:
- Patrick Vieira faces an FA investigation after kicking out at a fan on the night Everton celebrated securing their Premier League status. He was taunted by several fans. After initially walking away from one supporter, who had been waving a phone in his face, Vieira turned back and made a grab for the youngster before kicking him to the ground;
- Port Vale beat Swindon Town in a topsy-turvy penalty shootout in the League 2 playoff semi-final last night. But in the pitch invasion that followed, the unprotected Swindon team was surrounded by fans and a melee broke out;
- Brentford are preparing the biggest police operation in their history for Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season at home to Leeds amid fears that travelling fans will go on the rampage if relegated. The club’s special operation includes increasing the number of Met Police officers on duty from about 100 to 800;
The week’s events have led football bosses to threaten clubs with sanctions in an effort to curb the disgraceful behaviour which has plagued multiple tiers of the game this week. Clubs could face stadium closures as a result.
Eddie Howe, whose Newcastle United side travel to face a Burnley side fighting for survival on Sunday, has warned the authorities must act to avert getting into even more ‘dangerous territory’. He said today: ‘I don’t mind the celebrational aspect – embracing the success that a team has had is part of football, I’ve got no issue with that.
‘It’s the aggression towards the opposition, it’s swarms of people around one or two people. That doesn’t sit well with me at all, that’s something we have to act very quickly (on) because we want to avert potential tragedy.
‘The scenes at Nottingham Forest, I thought, were shocking to see and at Everton as well. I think we’re going into dangerous territory where something could happen in a game that has terrible consequences, and I don’t think anyone would want to see that.’
Accrington Stanley chairman Andy Holt has warned this week’s pitch invasions are a ‘disaster’ for football which could lead to increased ticket prices to help cover additional security costs or even the return of physical barriers.
The Premier League, the English Football League (EFL) and clubs are receiving advice from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on how to build the strongest cases possible against any individuals that attack players on the pitch.
The CPS is currently working with clubs, player bodies and organisations like the Premier League and the EFL to explain what sort of evidence is required to charge in order to help clubs and the leagues protect their players.
In the Premier League, Vieira is facing an FA investigation after appearing to kick out at a fan on the night Everton celebrated securing their Premier League status. Footage emerged of Vieira seeming to lash out at a home supporter who was part of a mass pitch invasion following the Toffees’ 3-2 comeback win last night.
The fan who was involved seemingly posted a video of the incident on Twitter with the footage showing someone putting a middle finger in the face of Vieira, who then reacts.
Asked about the incident after the match, Vieira said: ‘I’ve got nothing to say about that.’ Thousands of jubilant Everton supporters who had seen their side secure Premier League survival invaded the pitch after the match.
Vieira, unaccompanied by staff or security, made his way across the pitch towards the away dressing room which is housed in the Park End car park as a result of Covid protocols.
Footage on Sky Sports showed the fan goading Vieira with what looked to be obscene gestures and the angry Palace boss reacted by lashing out, first with his hand before kicking the individual who had approached him.
Vieira was then seemingly shoved by another Everton fan before others stepped in to ensure the 45-year-old could leave the pitch safely.
Speaking on Sky Sports, pundit and former footballer Dion Dublin criticised the conduct of the fans and suggested he did not blame Vieira for responding.
‘We know how overjoyed the Everton fans are but you can’t be doing that. You can’t be pushing managers and pushing players, touching players and shouting in their faces,’ said Dublin.
We know it is only one or two who spoiled it for everyone else. Having fans on the pitch is not the way forward. We need to stop letting fans, or allowing fans to get on the pitch. It is too dangerous.’
Everton manager Frank Lampard offered his support to Vieira following the incident. ‘I feel for Patrick because I didn’t get to speak to him at the end because of how it all erupted for us,’ he said.
‘Of course, he is running across the pitch of 80 yards across a lot of our fans, so it is not easy. But there were no issues that I know of. If done in the right way, I am happy for fans to stay on the pitch and enjoy it.
‘As long as everyone is behaving and we don’t see scenes like we did the other night, let them have their moment. It’s what football is all about. Are we going to handcuff them to their seats? As long as they behave, no problem.’
