A pitch invader who ran on the pitch and made a beeline for Bradford’s Andy Cook during Saturday’s match, has been arrested and issued a ban according to a club statement on the club’s official website.
During the League 2 match between play-off hopefuls Stevenage and Bradford City this past Saturday, the game was momentarily stopped when a Stevenage fan invaded the pitch in an attempt to attack an opposing player.
The Bantams had just scored the winning goal with four minutes remaining in their 3-2 success, and with the game about to restart, the fan made his move. Had it not been for the quick thinking of Stevenage players Michael Bostwick and Alex Gilbey, the so-say fan could have been successful with his actions.
Here’s the incident where a fan entered the pitch and appeared to head towards Andy Cook. Stevenage’s Bostwick providing the intervention. #bcafc pic.twitter.com/8tA7b3ughd
— Jamie Raynor (@JamieRaynor) February 11, 2023
Bostwick managed to intervene moments before when he pushed the fan to the ground, and with the help of Gilbey they ‘roughly’ escorted him off the field.
In a statement 24 hours after the accident, Stevenage explained what has happened in that time and the steps which have currently been taken.
Stevenage said: ‘(We can) confirm that action is being taken against the individual who entered the pitch during Saturday’s fixture against Bradford City.
“Entering the pitch is a criminal offence and puts players, officials and supporters at great risk.
“This is not tolerated at the Lamex Stadium.
“Football stadiums should be a safe and enjoyable space for everyone and these incidents are completely unacceptable and have no place in our game.
“The individual has been arrested, issued a ban from the Lamex Stadium and the club are working closely with the police and their investigation.
“We are also reviewing the stewarding response and protocols following the incident.
“We appreciate your continued support and atmosphere created at the Lamex Stadium.”
🔴⚫️ NEW EPISODE ⚪️🟣
S2E30: The Muppet Show
The guys reflect on that referee, a very "Jekyll & Hyde" Boro, look at the rest of our Feb fixtures and answer your Twitter Qs.#WelcomeToBoropod #UTfB pic.twitter.com/jL3N9EmoK8— Boropod (@Boropod) February 14, 2023
It’s great to see the club taking action, however what may be more concerning was the stewards response to the incident. Not one steward made an attempt to chase down the idiot fan, nor did they help with getting him off the pitch. It took 30 seconds before a steward responded to help, as they all just sat there watching the Boro players do their job for them.
With the lack of security that goes into attending EFL matches, it is worrying to see a fan so easily storm a pitch and not be stopped in his tracks until one of the players steps in.
Stevenage aren’t the first to have this occur to them and they most likely won’t be the last, nevertheless changes must be made with the way Stevenage’s stewards handled the situation.
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