Keith Hackett: Government could get involved as Everton pitch invasion kickstart crazy week
We’re delighted to welcome former Premier League referee Keith Hackett as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at Everton...
Keith Hackett has insisted that the government could get involved after Everton fans were involved in a crazy week of pitch invasions up and down the football pyramid.
The ex-FIFA official admitted that safe-standing has made it much easier for fans to get past stewards and police, and a certain few are spoiling it for the rest.
Patrick Vieira clashed with an Everton fan after his Crystal Palace side lost 3-2 at Goodison Park last week, although he will not be charged for kicking out.
“Fans coming on creates problems,” he exclusively told Goodison News.
“I think that ultimately, there is always going to be a few that spoil it for the rest. I think we’ve got to get to a situation where people recognise the responsibility that tarnishes the game.
“In a season where we’ve seen the return of standing spectators, it’s all gone into the melting pot. Its’ now easier to escape when standing up, that seating element does help. Be assured that the government and the authorities will be getting involved.”
Bang on.
Hackett is spot on, the authorities and government will no doubt start getting involved.
We are all for fans creating an incredible atmosphere and making the ground as hostile as possible, but there is a place to do that, and that is in the stands and outside the stadium.
Even going on to the pitch to celebrate can be fine sometimes, but when the increase in fans assaulting and aggravating players continues, it has to be stopped somewhere.
Those Toffees fans getting in the faces of Palace players and Vieira were not celebrating the win, they were simply looking for trouble and in the end, they found it.
Something has to be done to stop this from happening, just like it did as Manchester City won the title against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon [22 May].
In other Everton news, a football finance expert has made a claim on the new Toffees stadium amid a major £300m development in the recent weeks.
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