Revealed: Tottenham lifetime ban expected as authorities take action
Tottenham are likely to issue a lifetime ban to the supporter who was seen kicking Aaron Ramsdale after the final whistle of Sunday’s defeat to Arsenal.
The club released a statement on Sunday night to reveal how they were “appalled” by the fan’s behaviour and will take the “strongest possible action, including an immediate ban from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.”
It is expected that Spurs will go even further than Brighton last year, who handed an initial three-match stadium ban to a supporter who punched a steward at the Amex Community Stadium, before later extended it to an indefinite ban.
That coincided further down the line with the action taken by the courts, who imposed a three-year Football Banning Order which prohibits him from attending any football matches held in England and Wales.
Tottenham are expected, sources have told Football Insider, to thrown the book at the supporter and the expectation is that a lifetime ban from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be the outcome.
An investigation into the incident will be launched by the FA, who will work with the police and Spurs.
The Metropolitan Police said that they were investigating reports of an assault on an Arsenal player but had yet to make an arrest.
Ramsdale, the Arsenal goalkeeper, bent down to collect his water bottle at full-time when a fan climbed on to an advertising hoarding and thrust out his right foot as a steward tried to block him. The fan then turned and scrambled back up the South Stand at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Ramsdale, who had moments earlier been involved in a spat with the Tottenham forward Richarlison, turned around and was dragged away by his team-mates.
Ex-Fifa official and Premier League referee Keith Hackett has told Football Insider there needs to be a zero-tolerance policy towards supporters entering the pitch regardless of assault taking place.
“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.
“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 is disgraceful and 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.”
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