Swindon Town footballers have slammed supporters who they accused of attacking them following their League Two play-off semi-final match at Port Vale last night.
Swindon defender Mandela Egbo branded as "scummy" home fans who surrounded some of the visiting players to taunt them and throw punches as football was marred by another outbreak of violence in a week of shame.
A Nottingham Forest fan was this week jailed for 24 weeks for headbutting Sheffield United player Billy Sharp after their Championship play-off semi-final at the City Ground earlier this week. This was just one of a number of incidents in a week that has prompted the Football League to promise swift action to contain the violence.
And after scenes that Swindon boss Ben Garner described as "disgusting", Egbo used Twitter to call out those supporters who confronted him and his colleagues. The London-born 24-year-old said that players are expected to keep their cool and not react even after being attacked.
He posted a picture of himself in the dressing room after finally fleeing the mob. He had a small scratch on his nose, and he said: "How you scummy fans get two free shots and only manage a scratch? & I’m supposed to keep my cool - if I react I’m the bad guy right?"
Garner was furious with the aftermath of the match that saw his team miss out on a place in a Wembley final by losing a penalty shoot-out. He said: "What they have had to put up with coming off that pitch - players have been physically and verbally abused. I don't know where we're going as a country, it's absolutely disgusting."
In similar scenes last night, Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira appeared to kick a pitch-invading Everton fan following his side's 3-2 defeat at Goodison Park. He had been walking across the pitch to get back to the away dugout when he was goaded by a spectator who he attempted to grab. Other supporters helped to break up the melee but it was another sour moment with fans on the pitch in England this week.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the incidents to have occurred in recent days.
Tuesday – City Ground
Nottingham Forest season-ticket holder Robert Biggs was jailed for 24 weeks on Thursday after he deliberately charged at Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp and headbutted him following a pitch invasion at the end of the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-final second leg. It knocked the Blades forward to the ground while team-mate Oli McBurnie was also involved in a situation where he tangled with a fan. The Football Association have opened an investigation.
Wednesday – Sixfields
A day later and Mansfield forward Jordan Bowery had a Northampton fan barge into him during the second leg of their Sky Bet League Two play-off tie. It occurred towards the end of the fixture, which the visiting Stags won 1-0. The English Football League has already insisted it will consider “further measures” to tackle crowd misbehaviour over the summer.
Thursday – Vale Park
Port Vale triumphed on penalties over Swindon to qualify for the League Two play-off final at Wembley later this month but their successful night was overshadowed by another horrible situation involving supporters and players. After Ellis Iandolo missed from the spot for Town, Vale fans charged onto the pitch to celebrate but some immediately ran over to the away side, with video footage appearing to show punches thrown at Swindon players.
Thursday – Goodison Park
There were two separate occasions where the Everton faithful spilled onto the Goodison Park pitch. Initially after Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal, which proved to be the winner in a 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace that secured Premier League survival, and again at full-time. The first thankfully went by with little to note but the second resulted in Palace boss Patrick Vieira being involved in an apparent altercation with an Everton fan. The Eagles manager had to walk across the pitch to get back to the away dugout and after seemingly being goaded by a spectator, Vieira turned and tried to grab the fan before he appeared to swing a kick in his direction. Other supporters helped to break up the melee but it was the latest sour moment with fans on the pitch in England this week.
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