Ex-Premier League referee issues ‘alarming’ claim as three-year Brighton ban confirmed
The Brighton & Hove Albion fan who ran on the pitch during their 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace earlier this year (14 January) should have been handed a longer stadium ban than three years.
That is the view of ex-Fifa and Premier League referee Keith Hackett, speaking exclusively to Football Insider insisted the trend of fans entering the pitch was “alarming”.
Sussex World reported last month (14 June) that Brighton fan Jacob Helmsley, 24, has been handed a three-year ban after entering the pitch and making offensive gestures during the draw with Crystal Palace.
He came onto the field of play after Brighton’s goal and has also been ordered to pay a £400 fine, with a £40 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
“For me, I don’t think that’s enough,” Hackett told Football Insider‘s Connor Whitley.
“It should be made clear that when a fan comes on the pitch that is a criminal offence and should be dealt with in a court of law. The government created a law for this aspect.
“I know that’s been difficult in relation to fans coming on the pitch to celebrate the end of the season but we look back at the two Sheffield United players who will be in a magistrates court.
“Fans need to be kept off the pitch, there are all sorts of reasons for that.
“It’s opened the door a little bit to, as we saw towards the end of last season, a growing trend of misconduct by fans which has become quite alarming.
“We’ve seen objects thrown. Firstly, it was paper and everyone thought it wasn’t a problem but suddenly that turns to something else and it is a problem.
“We’ve seen linesmen struck with objects and it could be easily players and it could blind them. We don’t want to get to that point.
“The authorities have absolutely got to be tough on this.”
In other news, a club in talks to sign a former Crystal Palace star after a Thursday development.