Pitch Invasion

[Les Lawrence]

Leeds and Liverpool fans ,are the best behaved fans??Hell fire some people have short memories

[GetIntoEm]

Can't believe what I'm reading to be honest

[aggi]

Managed very well at Loftus Rd today, lessons to be learned right there.

Will we?

No, we’ll rely on repeated negative messages through the PA and on the big screens, then whinge like bitches when the muppetry encroach again.

I think the tactic of finishing mid-table and losing your last home match 5-0 probably isn't going to be that popular though.

[pureclaret]

I know, I don't really care who does and doesn't have the right, but English Law has a lot of time for precedent. And fans have been invading the pitch following promotions, last games of the season, and even for not getting relegated, for years. Not saying they're right, but I think it's OK as long as it stays non-confrontational.

Im not a solicitor but I think that would only apply if there was not law in place, which there is 1991 i think it was made. Your next part of your argument may be would hold if in the last 10 years no body had been found guilty of doing this, and I have seen repeated arrests on TV and at the turf for people going on the pitch.
And you dont care who has the right shows a lack of understanding of the need for the right people only going on the field.

[pureclaret]

No Doncaster fans celebrating promotion,like every team in England fans will be on pitch after gaining promotion.And there chairman won't be crying and banning them either

Just love it when im wrong ops sorry it was you said it . Liverpool and Leeds fans no real passion perhaps

[GetIntoEm]

Let's face it. Nobody is getting banned, or covering costs. The club have to be seen to be tackling it, that's all

[JR1882]

Let's face it. Nobody is getting banned, or covering costs. The club have to be seen to be tackling it, that's all

Agreed, but I think there will be much less tolerance for it on Saturday should things go our way.

[Bacchus]

I don't get why some folk are so desperate to condone supporters being on the pitch. The club (our club, the one we all claim to support) make clear several times during every match that it isn't welcome or legally allowed. This is visibly backed up by lines of stewards and security in front of the stands at the end of the match.

The reasons for this are pretty obvious but, for the hard of understanding, are related to maintaining the safety of those who should be on the pitch, to reduce the risk of home / away supporters clashing, and to avoid damage to the expensive pitch & equipment.

The fact that it happened at Doncaster / Wrexham / 30 years ago is irrelevant, and using any of that as a justification displays a toddler-level sense of entitlement and understanding. Just grow up, ffs. It really isn't difficult.

[Anonymous Claret]

What a bunch of wet wipes we have following our club.

I haven't been on the pitch for well over 30 years but if some of our mainly younger fans want to go on the pitch to celebrate our promotion, so be it.

I wonder how many people criticising the pitch invasion have actually been on the pitch themselves when they were younger?

To say that you were allowed on the pitch back in the 80s and 90s is absolute nonsense. There were big steel fences that had to be scaled along with lines of police on the pitchside to prevent invasions, yet it still couldn't stop the swarm of fans jumping onto the pitch. We had the momentum and no fences or police were stopping us going on that pitch.

Today football is far more sanitised and has lost a lot of the edginess that was associated with it.

I am just wondering what will follow next? Banning people for swearing or maybe for people getting out of their seats whilst the game is in progress? Singing banned?

With all 4 stands singing the atmosphere in the ground was really special against Sheffield Utd but those days are very rare. Despite our recent success every season my love for football in general dwindles.

[Row x]

What a bunch of wet wipes we have following our club.

I haven't been on the pitch for well over 30 years but if some of our mainly younger fans want to go on the pitch to celebrate our promotion, so be it.

I wonder how many people criticising the pitch invasion have actually been on the pitch themselves when they were younger?

To say that you were allowed on the pitch back in the 80s and 90s is absolute nonsense. There were big steel fences that had to be scaled along with lines of police on the pitchside to prevent invasions, yet it still couldn't stop the swarm of fans jumping onto the pitch. We had the momentum and no fences or police were stopping us going on that pitch.

Today football is far more sanitised and has lost a lot of the edginess that was associated with it.

I am just wondering what will follow next? Banning people for swearing or maybe for people getting out of their seats whilst the game is in progress? Singing banned?

With all 4 stands singing the atmosphere in the ground was really special against Sheffield Utd but those days are very rare. Despite our recent success every season my love for football in general dwindles.

It's illegal
The club asks fans not to do it....how hard is that to understand?
Yes there was fencing that was difficult to climb, especially with a line of police waiting, but on occasions the gates within the fences were opened to allow fans onto the pitch. Have a look how many are on the pitch at the Orient game, do you think they all climbed over the fence? I certainly didn't, I walked through the open gate.

[pureclaret]

It's illegal
The club asks fans not to do it....how hard is that to understand?
Yes there was fencing that was difficult to climb, especially with a line of police waiting, but on occasions the gates within the fences were opened to allow fans onto the pitch. Have a look how many are on the pitch at the Orient game, do you think they all climbed over the fence? I certainly didn't, I walked through the open gate.

It seems as though some can not understand it and possibly do not accept times change some for the better some not, some for protection of all, some just a few.
And yes at the Orient game I went on from the Longside through open gates.
And if memory serves me right the tanoy asked people not to go on until the game was finished and gates opened.
There wasnt in place a banning order or other penaltys for going on after the game had finished

[wilks_bfc]

It seems as though some can not understand it and possibly do not accept times change some for the better some not, some for protection of all, some just a few.
And yes at the Orient game I went on from the Longside through open gates.
And if memory serves me right the tanoy asked people not to go on until the game was finished and gates opened.
There wasnt in place a banning order or other penaltys for going on after the game had finished

Wonder if those that are saying “we could do it then so why not now” say the same things about smoking in pubs, racist jokes & driving without seatbelts?

[pureclaret]

Wonder if those that are saying “we could do it then so why not now” say the same things about smoking in pubs, racist jokes & driving without seatbelts?

I think you have got it spot on !!!
When did driving without seat belts happen, was there any tv campaigns or newspaper adds, and do the police stop everyone who drives without wearing a seat belt ?

[Spike]

We all just need Alan Pace masks and we are on the pitch

[CrosspoolClarets]

Wonder if those that are saying “we could do it then so why not now” say the same things about smoking in pubs, racist jokes & driving without seatbelts?

What about 20 mph zones, particularly in Wales?

The law is a bit of a social contract. It relies on the bulk of us agreeing with it. When it becomes OTT people are inclined to ignore it and society does it at its peril. Another example is the BBC license fee, increasingly indefensible and now 20% do not pay it, many doubtless illegally.

Like I’ve said before, we shouldn’t be too puritanical about this. I don’t condone abuse, violence or damage. But the club backed themselves into a corner by being too OTT on a bit of youthful exuberance by others. If the top tiers could access the ground then thousands more would have run on. It’s impossible to police in a moment of high passion, and afterwards any punishment should only be for those going too far (and yes, I have a long drive home so I wanted the team straight out celebrating too and am now too old to want to run on myself).

[Bow]

It would be quicker and easier to just admit “I don’t think the rules apply to me”

[Plissken]

Blimey. Four pages worth and no one states the obvious reason for the clubs attitude and there is a lot of very determined Not Noticing going on. A few simple questions. When it comes to other clubs....

Has <insert club here> had to ban fans already this season for running on the pitch using "YOLO" as an excuse?

Has <insert club here> had fans on national TV caught throwing (and hitting) opposition players with lighters and other objects?

Has <insert club here> had fans on national TV openly booing the knee?

Has <insert club here> had fans renting planes to fly racist banners over a game?

The reaction to the pitch invasion last Friday hasn't occurred in a vacuum. The authorities can (but usually don't) turn a blind eye to pitch invasions -in fact they issue fines but comparatively small ones. However, the behaviour of Burnley fans in general (and the authorities don't give a flying one into a rolling hotdog that it is a minority) over a period of time has led to the potential for those fines to start getting quite big.

We - as a fanbase - are repeat offenders when it comes to bad behaviour. Sure, it's not the Good Old Days of seats being ripped out and punches being thrown, but when it comes to misbehaviour, Burnley fans - as a collective - have a record longer than most.

And now I turn the thread over to people going "But.. but.. whatabout.. whatabout".

[Jacko]

The FSA have addressed this in their weekly mailing today. Well worth reading the information they link to on their website. Authoritative and helpful.

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/pitch-invasi ... e-law-say/

[Roosterbooster]

This thread is essentially an argument between people who have grown up, and people who use football matches as an excuse to not grow up

[Conroy92]

What I think people are disregarding is that we are going to close down something that brings a lot of happiness to the younger generation and is something of a tradition.

I understand the world changes and changes are made for reasons such as health and safety and other things however, I'll take the smoking example that has been used several times on this thread.

The government did not ban smoking. It banned it in specific areas. So that people could continue to make there own decisions, smoke shelters were designed so that people could continue to smoke.

Instead of talking of wether we should ban or not ban people for going on the pitch.

Should the discussion not be, is there a safe way to allow people on the pitch?

For example if at the final whistle, you knew you were allowed on when the players left, a few of the boards were shifted and the stewards created an opening would that satisfy the masses?

[wilks_bfc]

The government did not ban smoking. It banned it in specific areas. So that people could continue to make there own decisions, smoke shelters were designed so that people could continue to smoke.

And the BFC equivalent of that is the club banning spectators running on to pitch.
Outside of the ground is “designed” so that people can continue to run around

[Conroy92]

And the BFC equivalent of that is the club banning spectators running on to pitch.
Outside of the ground is “designed” so that people can continue to run around

It's a poor response if I'm honest.

As I said, the discussion should be how can we make it safe and of no cost of the club to allow supporters to run on on the last day of the season.

If it's deemed its impossible to do so then so be it.

But jumping to banning everything immediately, imo, isn't the answer. It's like safe standing. For years it's been condemned for supporter's to stand. Many do it. We went through stupid campaigns and people getting banned for them to introduce safe standing areas.

[wilks_bfc]

It's a poor response if I'm honest.

As I said, the discussion should be how can we make it safe and of no cost of the club to allow supporters to run on on the last day of the season.

If it's deemed its impossible to do so then so be it.

But jumping to banning everything immediately, imo, isn't the answer. It's like safe standing. For years it's been condemned for supporter's to stand. Many do it. We went through stupid campaigns and people getting banned for them to introduce safe standing areas.

Judging by the club posts following the game showing the pitch invasion they weren’t too concerned at the time, but things have transpired after the event.

It would have been “safe” if some those that ran on hadn’t behaved like dicks and damaged expensive equipment and “confronted” opposing players & staff.

If those things hadn’t happened, the club wouldn’t have had to be seen to condone it all and issue the statement they have.

[Raconteur]

What I think people are disregarding is that we are going to close down something that brings a lot of happiness to the younger generation and is something of a tradition.

Let's bring back dog fighting or fox hunting with dogs.
We can't disregard the people who got happiness out of it . The hunting was something of a tradition

[pureclaret]

The FSA have addressed this in their weekly mailing today. Well worth reading the information they link to on their website. Authoritative and helpful.

https://thefsa.org.uk/news/pitch-invasi ... e-law-say/

From my very first response on this post, all the things on this post of yours some's up the reasons why you should not go on the pitch except if either being told to / or need to in case of the stand being dangerous to be in ,or if invited by the club. Personally anyb one on here saying well we did when we were young so let them do so, need to be think are they encouraging people to break the law?.

[DCWat]

It’s properly tin pot, a pitch invasion. It smacks of little club that’s finally won something.

No different to clap sticks, foam hands, drums and trumpeters.

I wish we had a bit more class about us, but we’ve a few too many lacking any.

[brexit]

How does an automatic ban work? Is there facial recognition technology used? If not, is it based on the seat and that is checked? What if said banee went into the away end?

[Claretnick]

How does an automatic ban work? Is there facial recognition technology used? If not, is it based on the seat and that is checked? What if said banee went into the away end?

According to the club message posted on the club app and website yesterday the male arrested in front of the CFS was in breach of a Football banning order and is up before the magistrates in 2 weeks.

[Conroy92]

Let's bring back dog fighting or fox hunting with dogs.
We can't disregard the people who got happiness out of it . The hunting was something of a tradition

Jeez.

[pureclaret]

It’s properly tin pot, a pitch invasion. It smacks of little club that’s finally won something.

No different to clap sticks, foam hands, drums and trumpeters.

I wish we had a bit more class about us, but we’ve a few too many lacking any.

You forgot to mention ball clackers , rattles (made great weapon if made by my grandad who used them in the first world war when his 6 bullets had fired )

[brexit]

According to the club message posted on the club app and website yesterday the male arrested in front of the CFS was in breach of a Football banning order and is up before the magistrates in 2 weeks.

Sorry to continue this but
Following the recent win against Sheffield United, a man has been arrested for pitch encroachment and breaching a Football Banning Order at the game. He has been charged with both offences and will appear at Blackburn Magistrates on the 16th May. He will also be issued with a stadium ban.

implies that he did not have a stadium ban, but had an FBO.
From my reading of the law and FBO is for all grounds in the UK where games are regulated by the FA or EPL.
My point is FBO's and stadium bans do not appear to be effective.

[brexit]

Looked at the data, and we had 39 last year, but Newcastle and West Ham have the most

Screenshot 2025-05-02 174859.png (76.07 KiB) Viewed 1876 times

Screenshot 2025-05-02 174924.png (77.92 KiB) Viewed 1876 times

[GetIntoEm]

Be double celebration after today's results

[agreenwood]

Looked at the data, and we had 39 last year, but Newcastle and West Ham have the most

Screenshot 2025-05-02 174859.png
Screenshot 2025-05-02 174924.png

Relative to the size of other fanbases, we appear to have a lot of badly behaved folk.

Only 8 clubs with more.

[dougcollins]

It's a poor response if I'm honest.

As I said, the discussion should be how can we make it safe and of no cost of the club to allow supporters to run on on the last day of the season.

If it's deemed its impossible to do so then so be it.

But jumping to banning everything immediately, imo, isn't the answer. It's like safe standing. For years it's been condemned for supporter's to stand. Many do it. We went through stupid campaigns and people getting banned for them to introduce safe standing areas.

As in every other walk of life, a minority of knobheads will spoil it for the majority. If you're 'allowing' a pitch incursion these people have to be specifically targeted and dealt with.

It ain't gonna be easy.

[trickytrev]

Ok dougcollins, it will take a while to identify the pitch incursions perpetraitors as a number of the 'knobheads' as you call them them were women and young children.

[Robbie_painter]

As in every other walk of life, a minority of knobheads will spoil it for the majority. If you're 'allowing' a pitch incursion these people have to be specifically targeted and dealt with.

It ain't gonna be easy.

How did it spoil it for the majority?

[dougcollins]

Ok dougcollins, it will take a while to identify the pitch incursions perpetraitors as a number of the 'knobheads' as you call them them were women and young children.

No, that's not the ones I'm on about. It's the ones who ran on just to film themselves getting in the faces of the opposition players.

Those are the ones who need to be dealt with.

[Ptangyangkipperbang]

Should see the scenes at Falkirk

[Row x]

How did it spoil it for the majority?

Because the majority of people don't enjoy watching knobheads being knobheads.
The sooner the knobheads, and the people who defend them realise that, the better

[Les Lawrence]

Word of the day,Knobheads

[Awayfromburnley]

Pitch invasions are not for me.

My main point is that I've just watched BBC news and pictures from Falkirk last night with the newsreader saying

"There will be scenes like this today up and down the country as Falkirk fans celebrate on the pitch after their promotion....."

It seems to be widely accepted in the media that for a promotion/last day escape it is acceptable.

This is where the issue lies for me though, it's either illegal or it isn't. I do get the BFC stance, but they are alienating fans who want that genuine jubilation and outpouring.

We win the league today and there will probably be a pitch invasion. I do worry about the repercussions for those fans.

[Colburn_Claret]

They aren't alienating anybody. There isn't a single fan out there who would decide to support a.n.other club because they aren't allowed to go on the pitch. It's just as easy to celebrate from your seat.
As Josh said this week, the players themselves want to come out and celebrate in front of the fans, and enjoy the lap of the pitch. They can't do that while some entitled pricks think rules only apply to others.
I get the excitement, I even get that some will be disappointed, but it really is as simple as, if you are told not to do it, you don't do it.
If you don't like the rule of law, you change it, you don't break it.

[CrosspoolClarets]

I saw Barnes in his interview this week, I think with The Athletic, suggesting the little kids running on at the end of the match was fantastic and a sense of real joy for the players. I’m sure that is true. Big tough footballers don’t worry about that, though as said above some going into goading, abuse and filming it need dealing with.

[nil_desperandum]

We win the league today and there will probably be a pitch invasion. I do worry about the repercussions for those fans.

Yes- especially if the Millwall fans join them
It’ll be carnage
Good luck to stewarding that.

[KlyBfc]

I will be honest of we don’t win the league then im not bothered about another lap of honor / big celebration. We had it last home game and it was wonderful. The normal full time clap off would be enough, certainly not a fan of lifting a runners up trophy.

[Claretitus]

Pitch invasions are not for me.

My main point is that I've just watched BBC news and pictures from Falkirk last night with the newsreader saying

"There will be scenes like this today up and down the country as Falkirk fans celebrate on the pitch after their promotion....."

It seems to be widely accepted in the media that for a promotion/last day escape it is acceptable.

This is where the issue lies for me though, it's either illegal or it isn't. I do get the BFC stance, but they are alienating fans who want that genuine jubilation and outpouring.

We win the league today and there will probably be a pitch invasion. I do worry about the repercussions for those fans.

But IF we don’t win the league, ( and let’s be honest here, the odds are considerably stacked against us), what would be the point of a pitch invasion? We’ve already had one. Can’t people just leave it at that? I have never run on the pitch at a games end, only once have I been on the pitch - The Celtic game, for a purely different reason.
Jubilation and outpouring? Celebrate it like you celebrate a goal, and let that be it.

[Les Lawrence]

Fans usually go on straight after final whistle,hug a player or 2,light a flare,then go off pitch and it's cleared before the players come back out,with families etc.No problem whatsoever,,

[Claretitus]

Lighting of a flare? Wow, sounds uber safe to me does that.

[Row x]

Fans usually go on straight after final whistle,hug a player or 2,light a flare,then go off pitch and it's cleared before the players come back out,with families etc.No problem whatsoever,,

You were right with your "word of the day"