Nottingham Forest are investigating after a supporter said they were attacked in the home end at the City Ground. The 33-year-old, who was sitting in the upper tier of the Brian Clough Stand, claimed he tried to intervene to prevent a 'fight' during the Fulham game on Friday, September 16.
The fan, from Cotgrave, said he'd been to at least 500 matches over the last 30 years and has never had a problem before, especially at a home game. On the night of the alleged incident, the man, who did not wish to be named, said he'd been at the match alone.
He said: "They [Fulham] scored three goals very quickly and everyone was very upset as you can imagine. As the third goal went in, a couple of rows behind me there was a lad, who didn’t look too old, saying things to people leaving as he was a bit upset that people were leaving with half an hour to go.
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"He’s in his right to say that, people have their right to leave, that’s fine - I wasn’t involved." However, the Forest fan said he soon became involved - and he alleged a few other men went on to attack the supporter who'd been making comments at supporters who left the ground early.
"There were no stewards around, no police, there was no one doing anything to stop it. So I’m like 'I’ve got to do something to stop it' so I tried to put myself in the way to try and stop them from getting to this lad."
He said the stewards soon became involved and advised the other man, said to have made the comments, to go back to his seat. While the 33-year-old fan claimed a group of men were told to leave and escorted by stewards.
But the man said: "One of them [one of the men] kind of got out from the steward, he escaped his grasp. There was no one sat next to me, there was a couple of empty seats, so he had a clean walk way to where I was.
"I was just getting pummelled with punches, I didn’t even know what was happening. Before I knew it I was a couple of rows in front and didn’t really know where I was, so I think I must have been unconscious for a little bit as I came to and there were stewards around me asking if I could breathe.
"I couldn’t breathe as he punched me in my gut, so I was a bit breathless and just a bit shocked to be honest as I’ve been going there for 30 years and have never had any trouble. I didn’t start any violence, I didn’t say anything, I just put myself in a situation to try and stop that lad getting hurt.
"I then kind of stood up embarrassed and in shock. I just wanted to get myself out the situation." The clinical logistics worker said the stewards were "really good" and stayed with him for a bit and got him some water.
At the time the man spoke to Nottinghamshire Live, he said he'd been expecting a call from the club. He added: "I’ve been going for 30 years, since I was little.
"I’ve never had any trouble and it’s kind of put me off from going back. We’re in the Premier League and I’ve already got tickets for the next home game but I’m looking at giving it away as, if nothing's done about it, I don’t really want to go back and bump into the same group of lads.
"I still can’t believe it now, just talking about it now I can’t believe it’s happened." The 33-year-old said he was helped out of the ground to make sure he was all right as a precaution. But he said he did not want to go to hospital.
He said: "I was not really feeling much pain but I know that’s because of the shock and adrenaline. I didn’t feel like I needed to go to hospital or anything, I was by myself and just wanted to get out the ground which I’ve never done in my life, I’ve never wanted to leave the ground early.
"I’ve not really been able to go into work, my whole left side is bruised. I think that’s from where he threw me over the row of seats. Just bruised all over, no broken bones, I think I got away lightly."
Earlier this week, a spokesperson from Nottingham Forest said the club were aware of the situation and currently investigating what happened. Nottinghamshire Live contacted Nottinghamshire Police for more information.
On a miserable evening under the lights at the City Ground, the Reds slumped to a fourth league defeat in row. Steve Cooper's side had taken the lead in the first half - much like the previous home game against Bournemouth - but once again fell to a 3-2 defeat, this time to the Cottagers who scored three goals in six second half minutes. Forest currently sit in 19th place - second from bottom - with a huge East Midlands derby away to bottom of the table Leicester City in the next fixture on Monday, October 3.
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