Melbourne derby abandoned after goalkeeper hit in face by bin!

There were shameful scenes in Australian football on Saturday. Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory faced off at AAMI Park on a weekend where protests were taking place across Australia.

Earlier in the week, the league had decided to award the grand final to Sydney for three seasons for a reported eight figure sum. Normally, the highest ranked team who makes it through to the final earns the right to host it. This decision went down very badly with supporters and fans planned to leave all games at the weekend after 20 minutes to protest the decision. 

However, this planned protest did not go to plan. In the 21st minute, flares were thrown by Victory fans onto the pitch and one even struck a cameraman. Play was briefly halted by the referee to allow the flares to be cleared. In an attempt to clear a flare from the pitch, City goalkeeper Tom Glover ended up throwing one back into the stands, about three or four rows back. This sparked furious Victory fans to storm the pitch and go after the goalkeeper.

One of the fans approached Glover and smacked him in the face with a metal bin, leading to the 'keeper suffering injuries to the right side of his face. At the same time, the referee suffered a cut to his eyebrow as he attempted to protect Glover. The players were forced off the pitch and the fixture was abandoned with City 1-0 up. 

After the match, Melbourne City gave an update on their goalkeeper: "Tom was assessed by our club doctor immediately following tonight’s incident and required several stitches due to a laceration to his face. He was taken to hospital for scans and further follow up checks." Victory also issued a statement strongly condemning their supporters' behaviour:

"Melbourne Victory Football Club is devastated. The Club unequivocally condemns the actions of fans at Saturday night’s match against Melbourne City at AAMI Park. The actions that occurred, that saw spectators enter the pitch and injure a Melbourne City FC player, an official and a Network Ten cameraman, are not acceptable under any circumstance and have no place in football. The security and welfare of everyone involved in a football match is paramount and the Club will not accept this behaviour," they began.

The away side also sent apologies and promised a full investigation: "The Club would like to formally apologise to Tom Glover, match official, Alex King (the referee) and the camera operator as well as all players, officials and those who witnessed the appalling behaviour. This conduct will not be tolerated and the Club, along with AAMI Park and Victoria Police, will undertake a full investigation into the incident. Melbourne Victory would like to reiterate there is no place in football for what was witnessed tonight," the statement concluded.

 

December 17, 2022

 

December 17, 2022