Fan lockout: Melbourne Victory may be forced to play behind closed doors for the remainder of the season after Saturday night's pitch invasion.
Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover was concussed and required stitches to a cut on his head sustained during. Match referee Alex King also suffered a cut to his head after a fan appeared to throw a bucket filled with sand at Glover, which also hit King.
Johnson declined to comment on possible penalties, as the result of the abandoned fixture is also still to be decided, with the stripping of competition points and playing games behind closed doors among the potential sanctions. Sources with knowledge of the matter told thethe latter punishment is being strongly considered, potentially for the remaining 18 rounds of the competition.
“Our protest yesterday was intended to unite all fans. A vital element of the campaign against the APL [Australian Professional Leagues] decision, was that the walkout and protest remained peaceful, so as not to take away and distract from our argument,” it said in a statement. She refused to make any link between the anger of fans towards moving the grand final and the violence that ensued on the field.
Johnson indicated that Glover’s act of throwing a flare back into the crowd after it was hurled to the field would be included in Football Australia’s investigation, but stressed the focus was on the City keeper’s health rather than any culpability. “What occurred last night, I’m deeply shocked, upset and quite frankly I thought it was disgraceful conduct by those that invaded the pitch. What we saw was a small minority of people behave badly,” he said.
“Our clubs will work deliberately and exhaustively, hand-in hand with law enforcement agencies, and with Football Australia – as the game’s regulator – to ensure that our game can never again be used as camouflage for criminals.”Socceroos goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, who has played much of his career in the A-League Men’s competition and currently plays for the Central Coast Mariners, didn’t mince words after watching fellow goalkeeper Glover being assaulted.
“[Victory] fans throwing glass bottles at us and all I got was an ‘apology’ and notice that the fans were ALREADY BANNED FOR LIFE [AND] STILL GOT IN WITH GLASS BOTTLES! Melbourne Victory continues to ALLOW their fans to get away with this behaviour! It’s a disgrace!!” she tweeted.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Football Australia vows to 'weed out' pitch invaders as Melbourne fallout continuesAs the dust settles on one of the darkest days in Australian football history, FA chief executive James Johnson promises rapid action against the Melbourne pitch invaders.
Read more »
Football Australia vows to ‘weed out’ fans who stormed pitch during Melbourne derbyAn ‘angry and irritated’ FA boss declares ‘there is no place in our sport for this’
Read more »
'No justification': Melbourne Victory to be sent 'show cause' letter over fans' pitch invasionMelbourne City player taken to hospital after A-League Melbourne derby pitch invasion sees injuries and the match against Melbourne Victory abandoned 20 minutes in. Read more here:
Read more »
A-League Melbourne derby abandoned after violent pitch invasionFootball Australia said “such behaviour has no place in Australian Football” after City goalkeeper Tom Glover was left bloodied by being struck in the face.
Read more »
Melbourne A-League derby abandoned as fans storm pitch and keeper attackedThe A-League Men Melbourne derby has been suspended after fans invaded the pitch amid chaotic scenes at AAMI Park
Read more »
A-League Men match abandoned after Melbourne City player injured in pitch invasionAn A-League Men match is abandoned after Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover sustains a head injury when spectators stormed onto the playing surface at AAMI Park.
Read more »