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Craig Foster has demanded criminal charges and lifetime penalties for the ‘small group of idiots’ responsible for a player being hit in the face with a metal bucket during an A-League match.
The Socceroos legend said his initial ‘disbelief’ at Melbourne Victory fans who stormed AAMI Park on Saturday and assaulted Melbourne City goalkeeper Thomas Glover and referee Alex King has ‘turned to anger’ .
Foster believes the shocking incident shows Australian players are no longer safe from violent fans on the pitch, so the “toughest sanctions” are urgently needed.
“It really annoys me that this small group of idiots was able to somehow damage all that wonderful [World Cup] journey we’ve had,” Foster told The Project on Sunday.
“They have no right to do that, unfortunately they have.”
Craig Foster has demanded criminal charges and lifetime penalties for the ‘idiots’ responsible for a player being hit in the face with a metal bucket during an A-league match.
Foster said it was “unprecedented” for A-league players to be unsure so the toughest penalties are now needed.
He now calls for the police to file criminal charges.
“Watching Thomas Glover get robbed on the pitch and thinking the players aren’t safe.” [in Australia]that is unprecedented.
“We have to admit that some of these things happen abroad, but they are not welcome here, they have never been welcomed here.”
“The entire game wants the toughest penalties for these idiots, as far as what it is, lifetime bans.”
Foster, who is in Qatar for the World Cup, said he received a large number of text messages after the shocking incident.
His first reaction was ‘disbelief, discouragement and then disgust. But 24 hours later, it really turned to anger.”
“The only good thing that can come out of this is… to condemn people and see that a line is drawn and this kind of thing never happens again.”
Furious with the A-League’s decision to send the next three grand finals to Sydney, fans planned to stage a mass walkout in the 20th minute to express their discontent with the decision.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper was left bloodied and dragged off the pitch by his teammates.
Flares were launched as fans freely invaded the pitch at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
Fans stormed the pitch in the 21st minute of the Melbourne City v Melbourne Victory match
However, tempers boiled over, and in the 21st minute, fans invaded the pitch and City goalkeeper Glover was attacked and had a bucket smashed in his face.
He required stitches for the resulting laceration.
Football Australia promised to investigate and hand down ‘heavy penalties’ after Glover and King, the referee for the match, were injured.
A Network 10 cameraman was earlier injured when he was hit by a flare.
The violent scenes made headlines around the world, and Melbourne Victory issued a late-night apology to those affected.
The FA, which handles judicial affairs, has promised stiff penalties.
“Such behavior has no place in Australian rules football, with a full Football Australia investigation due to begin immediately, where heavy sanctions will be imposed,” their statement said.
Glover was left with a cut head, which required stitches, and a suspected concussion, while King had a cut eyebrow.
Both sets of fans had planned to leave after 20 minutes as part of a protest against the Australian Professional Leagues’ decision to sell the next three grand finals to Sydney.
They had previously chanted ‘f*** the APL’ while unfurling banners before the game and during the game, and setting off sparklers on the playing arena.
Several fans climb on the goal while the players waited in the tunnel
Glover angered the fans by throwing the flare into the crowd moments before the chaos.
But the situation escalated when a flare from Victory’s active area hit the cameraman, then exploded as Glover picked up another flare from the ground and hurled it back into the stands.
The fans then ran onto the field and Glover and King were hit by the metal bucket, which is filled with sand and is used to dispose of flares.
Players from both teams were pushed down the tunnel, as fans swung from the goal at the Victory end of the pitch.
The game was suspended for about 45 minutes before the referees made the decision to suspend the game.
Melbourne Victory fans hold up a sign reading ‘fight like your fans’ before the chaos
A security guard removes a flare as officials try to calm things down in Melbourne.
An FA spokesman confirmed that King, who stepped between Glover and the fans, was more upset than hurt.
The match day referee coach was pushed against the fence and security then escorted all the officials to their cars.
Victoria Police are investigating the incidents and were ‘disappointed’ with the actions of the 150-200 fans who invaded the pitch.
Condemning the actions of his fans, a ‘devastated’ Victory confirmed he would launch a full investigation along with AAMI Park and Victoria Police.
Multiple footballers and Australian rules football figures condemned the scenes, especially after the Socceroos’ golden World Cup run in Qatar.
Our game is in tatters. Absolute shame what happened tonight’, Socceroos and Central Coast goalkeeper Danny Vukovic said on Twitter.
‘I can’t believe we’re here after such an incredible WC and with so much potential to see our game grow.
‘Irreparable damage done. The darkest day for football in Australia.