Bristol Rovers has been fined £16,500 by the Football Association as a result of the pitch invasions when the club won promotion to League One in May, with an investigation finding the club failed to control spectators amid shortcomings of pre-match planning.
The Gas admitted two breaches of FA Rule E20.1 and E20.2 during the 7-0 win over Scunthorpe United at the Memorial Stadium on May 7, when Joey Barton's side clinched third place in League Two against all odds on the last day of the season.
The first of two pitch invasions was deemed "particularly serious" by an independent regulatory commission, with several spectators carrying smoke devices and a 17-year-old Scunthorpe player assaulted by a fan – who has since been issued with a football banning order – in the 85th minute of the game.
Rovers admitted it had "Failed to ensure that its spectators, and all persons purporting to be its supporters or followers, conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from using threatening and violent behaviour whilst encroaching onto the pitch area, in the 85th minute of the fixture."
The club also admitted it had failed to ensure spectators conducted themselves in an orderly fashion at the end of the game.
A punishment of £25,000 was set by the independent commission, which was reduced to £16,500 due to the club's admission, the steps it did take to prepare for the match, the steps that have been taken since and several other mitigating factors.
However, a lengthy investigation by the FA found there were flaws in Rovers' preparation, particularly in relation to the first pitch invasion which led to Scunthorpe goalkeeper Owen Foster being assaulted and the game being halted.
Amid scenes of high drama, Elliot Anderson's header – the goal that put Rovers on course for promotion – in the 85th minute sparked a pitch invasion of approximately 150-200 fans from the Thatchers Terrace. Referee Charles Breakspear removed the players from the pitch for 19 minutes.
Mr Breakspear said in his report that he saw "several smoke devices being utilised" by people entering the field of play. This was later confirmed by the commission when it reviewed footage from the game.
During that break, Barton and Rovers owner Wael Al-Qadi took to the public address system to plead for order from the crowd amid fears the game could be abandoned. Police officers were mobilised to the perimeter of the pitch.
While the players were off the field, Foster reported to the referee that he had been assaulted by a Rovers fan. The player did not submit a statement to the commission, but the referee's report said the player had said he was pushed by a supporter and a "clenched fist made contact with his neck/jaw."
In a letter submitted to the commission, Scunthorpe said it "appreciated the measures" put in place by Rovers before the game and that Foster was "satisfied with the way the incident was dealt with by the match official and his team".
After the delay, the game resumed and it finished 7-0, clinching Rovers' promotion to League One. A much larger pitch invasion followed as supporters celebrated jubilantly, with some fans carrying "smoke devices".
The commission noted the club "took some steps" before the game to address the risk of a pitch invasion. However, it found these were focused on it happening at the end of the game and "there was therefore no adequate plan for an incursion during the match".
The commission also noted the increase in stewarding for the game, but it was "only an additional 22."
It added: "That is about an 18 per cent increase. The footage and events demonstrate that such was insufficient."
The commission also raised concerns about CCTV material. It said: "The club told us that it deletes the CCTV footage 'automatically' after 30 days. However, The FA initially wrote to the club on May 10 in relation to the incident reports submitted by the referee and asked for their observations. Included in that was a request that the club provided all available CCTV footage. The deadline for providing the observations and the CCTV footage was May 16, well within the 30 days."
In conclusion, the commission said: "We impose a penalty which reflects the totality of the two incidents of misconduct. The first incident was particularly serious.
"Having regard all the matters set out including the fact that was a League Two club at the time, the appropriate starting point is, in our view, a financial penalty of £25,000. Taking into account the mitigation including its ‘guilty pleas’ we reduce that to a fine of £16,500.
"We warn the club as to the consequences of any further failure to control its supporters."
Rovers will pay the commission's costs and have a right of appeal.
In its written submission to the commission, Rovers said: "The club will adopt a proactive response. It will act according to the outcome of its own investigations and that of the police investigation into criminal offences and proceedings.
"Any matters which do not fit into that category will be dealt with by the club’s anti-social behaviour policy to any misconduct and will respond to individuals involved in accordance with its anti-social behaviour policy in partnership with the police."
Avon & Somerset Constabulary has investigated the incident, with a boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, receiving a football banning order after admitting assaulting a Scunthorpe player.
Rovers have started this season with a reduced capacity at the Mem as a result of pitch invasions at the end of last season. Dozens of supporters also poured onto the pitch after the game against Forest Green Rovers in April.
The local Safety Advisory Group and local authorities have imposed a 10 per cent reduction of the capacity of the Thatchers Terrace, which equates to around 300 fans. It was in place for the opening day game against Forest Green on Saturday and will also remain for the visit of Oxford United on August 13.
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