SATURDAY’S MELBOURNE DERBY was abandoned after just 20 minutes following a pitch invasion in which Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover was struck by a fan.
City reported that Glover, who was shown bleeding from the face after he was struck by a metal bucket, received treatment in the dressing room for a “likely” concussion.
The Australian Professional League confirmed that match referee Alex King had also been injured in the pitch invasion by Melbourne Victory fans, while governing body Football Australia condemned the “shocking scenes” and vowed to take strong sanctions against those involved.
Saturday’s incident came against the backdrop of ongoing fan protests across the A-League against the decision to sell hosting rights for the league’s next three Grand Finals to the New South Wales government in a deal reported to be worth in excess of €6.3 million (AU$10m).
Fans of both clubs had openly planned to stage a co-ordinated mass walkout this week after 20 minutes of the game at AAMI Park.
Instead, the protest began with Victory fans behind Glover’s goal throwing flares onto the pitch, a number of which the City goalkeeper tossed off the pitch in the direction from which they had come.
A number of Victory fans reacted angrily, storming the pitch to surround Glover and referee King, with a metal bucket thrown at Glover which struck him in the face.
The APL’s statement read: “The Isuzu UTE A-League Men fixture between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park has been abandoned as a result of the pitch invasion by Melbourne Victory fans, and the subsequent injuries to Melbourne City FC goalkeeper Tom Glover and the match official Alex King.
“The Australian Professional League (APL) is coordinating with Football Australia (FA) regarding the ramifications of these events.
“A further statement will follow.”
In their own statement, Football Australia said: “Following shocking scenes during the first half of the A-League Men’s match between Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC at AAMI Park on Saturday 17 December, where fans from the Melbourne Victory FC end entered the field of play, Football Australia match officials have abandoned the match in accordance with Law 5.3 of the Laws of the Game in order to protect the integrity of the match.
“Such behaviour has no place in Australian Football, with a full Football Australia investigation to commence immediately, where strong sanctions will be handed down.”
City, who tweeted an update on Glover’s condition, said that “the club respectfully notes the statements of the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Football Australia (FA).
“The club will make a further statement in due course.”
