Melbourne Victory sanctions handed down by FA, ‘bucket man’s’ hooligan history revealed
The spectator who allegedly hurled a bucket during the Melbourne derby pitch invasion was only freed from a ban on attending games last year, it can be revealed.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The soccer fan who allegedly hurled a bucket into the face of a player during A-League mayhem had previously been banned from games.
The Melbourne Victory supporter, who has become known as “Bucket Man” since last Saturday night’s riotous scenes at AAMI Park, was freed from his suspension in May last year.
He is accused of throwing a bucket full of sand into the face of Melbourne City goalkeeper Thomas Glover, leaving him bleeding.
“Bucket Man” was this week charged with offences including violent disorder, discharging a missile, recklessly causing injury, entry to a sporting competition space and riotous behaviour.
The Herald Sun has also been told another alleged major player in the chaos was currently serving an 18-year ban.
That patron, one of 150 who stormed the ground at the 20-minute mark of the big derby game, was caught on video hurling a pitch-side trolley as the chaos unfolded.
His ban was handed down in 2013.
They are among 36 people so far identified by police, five of whom are on banned lists or were previously outed.
An Adelaide United fan this week said one of those who stormed the ground was the same man who left him with a fractured skull in a post-game attack in South Australia last month.
Last Saturday’s big derby game was cancelled and the bedlam has led to the establishment of a police task force called Astute.
The trouble erupted in the seconds after Glover threw a marine flare back into the crowd after it was flung in his direction.
But police are believed to be investigating whether the pitch invasion would have happened anyway.
One theory is that it was pre-planned by a key group of troublemakers who did not want to be part of a protest walkout at the 20-minute mark.
The nationally co-ordinated walkout was in opposition to A-League grand final hosting rights being sold to Sydney.
Police released 17 more images of people they hope to identify in the aftermath of the derby disgrace on Friday.
The release came as they warned of a “highly visible” police presence at Monday’s Melbourne Victory-Western United game at AAMI Park
“Police were appalled by last weekend’s pitch invasion and have laid a number of charges on those involved in the incident for violent disorder, criminal damage and assault,” the statement said.
“This should send a very clear message that police will not tolerate this kind of behaviour at sporting matches.
“We will once again be closely monitoring the behaviour of individuals and we will not hesitate to take swift action against any anti-social or criminal behaviour.”
Anyone with information on those in the images can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
SCROLL DOWN TO SEE IMAGES RELEASED BY VICTORIA POLICE
FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA HANDS DOWN VICTORY SANCTIONS
Owen Leonard and Todd Balym
Football Australia has banned Melbourne Victory supporters from attending home A-League games unless they are ticketed members and shut down ‘home and away’ supporter bays at all their matches for the next month as part of a detailed range of punishments for the derby riots at AAMI Park last Saturday.
Revealing a range of sanctions on Friday, Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said the club must abide by these punishments to continue to compete in the A-League men’s competitions.
While still allowing legitimate club members to attend home matches, FA has moved to control who attends matches and where they sit by introducing a blanket ban on certain designed supporter bays.
“Whilst we continue our very thorough investigation following the inexcusable scenes witnessed at the Melbourne Derby, Football Australia has issued Melbourne Victory with a series of strong sanctions which will need to be implemented to enable their participation in both the A-League Men’s and A-League Women’s competitions until a final show cause determination is made,” said Johnson.
“These sanctions come into immediate effect starting with Melbourne Victory’s A-League Men’s match on Boxing Day away to Western United, and follow the sanctions issued against individuals earlier this week as part of a package of sanctions in response to the incidents witnessed at the Melbourne Derby last weekend. These measures are an essential step for Football Australia, as it considers further sporting and financial sanctions that may apply to Melbourne Victory in the show cause determination process.
However, Western United now stands to lose a significant portion of their home Boxing Day crowd in their marquee clash with Victory.
“Any (financial) loss to other clubs as a result of Melbourne Victory’s supporters that invaded the pitch will be considered,” Johnson said.
“Football Australia does not wish to penalise football fans during this time; however, our priority is to ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone within the venue on match days and that any unacceptable behaviour by spectators are not repeated at any football match or event ever again. We believe these measures will achieve this.”
Johnson said FA ultimately decided against punishing the supporter base in its entirety because the “large majority” had nothing to do with storming the pitch.
“There are many, many good Melbourne Victory fans,” Johnson said Friday afternoon.
“We don’t want to punish those who really have nothing to do with this, and that’s the large majority of Victory fans.”
Melbourne Victory responded to the penalties on Friday, urging calm from supporters.
“I think we have a big role. You would have seen Football Australia, I think, referred to them as supporter marshalls,” managing director Caroline Carnegie said.
“They’re sort of crowd marshalls I guess, from our perspective, that will play a part in making sure that there’s compliance.
“I would just plead with all of our members and fans to do the same. I know it’s tough. It’s not what we want. We want our members and fans in the stadium.
“But first and foremost we want everybody to feel safe about coming to football matches and we understand that the sanctions are part of the healing process to get there.
“We really need all of our people to do the right thing, not try and circumvent what has been put in place.”
Johnson said instilling confidence in fans of other clubs to attend matches was a priority, and that they needed to be “ring-fenced” from any further sanctions.
Johnson refrained from speculating on what further punishments could be handed down from January 15.
“What we can say is that we will ensure that we continue to work on behalf of the Australian football community, to ensure we are specific … and that broader fans are ring-fenced from the action a group of certain individuals took.”
FOR MELBOURNE VICTORY HOME MATCHES:
● No tickets are sold in respect to Home Matches;
● Only valid Club Members can attend Home Matches;
● Refund any tickets that are not valid Club Members; where any ticket operator charges related to the refunds are borne by Melbourne Victory FC;
● Home and away active bays will be closed behind the goal line at each end of the Venue
● An agreed number of supporter marshalls are positioned in the Venue; and
● Supporters of Melbourne Victory FC must not be found to have engaged in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the relevant match.
● For Melbourne Victory away matches in Victoria, including Monday’s Boxing Day ‘away’ clash with Western United at AAMI Park:
● Only valid Members of the Home Team, and Supporters of the Home Team whom were in receipt of a ticket when ticket sales ceased at 11.00am AEDT on Friday, 23 December will be permitted to enter the Venue;
● The away active bays to be closed and the APL to ensure away active bays are cordoned off and tarps are applied to section/s of the Venue allocated to “Away Active Supporters”;
An agreed number of supporter marshalls are positioned in the Venue;
● The Home Team will be allowed to issue up 1000 complimentary tickets to a list of individuals pre-approved by Football Australia;
● APL to work with the Home Team to refund any tickets that are not valid Members of the Home Team, where any ticket operator charges related to the refunds are borne by Melbourne Victory FC; and
Supporters of Melbourne Victory FC must not be found to have engaged in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the relevant match.
FOR MELBOURNE VICTORY INTERSTATE AWAY MATCHES:
● The away active bays to be closed and the APL to ensure away active bays are cordoned off and tarps are applied to section/s of the Venue allocated to “Away Active Supporters”;
Only Members and Supporters of the Home Team will be permitted to enter the Venue;
● Melbourne Victory FC must use best endeavours to discourage the attendance of all supporters of the Club, including messaging that the Venue will be restricted to supporters of the Home Team only;
● APL to work with the Home Team to refund any tickets which are associated with a Victorian postcode or to any person that they reasonably believe is a supporter of Melbourne Victory FC, where any ticket operator charges related to the refunds are borne by Melbourne Victory FC;
● An agreed number of supporter marshalls are positioned in the Venue; and Supporters of Melbourne Victory FC must not be found to have engaged in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the relevant match.
Melbourne City have also been told they must cordon off the ‘home and away’ active bays at ● all their home matches.
Victoria Police have so far arrested 29 people as part of Operation Astute, with 36 people in total identified from the incident.
and are continuing to make enquiries.
Police have released further images of people who may be able to assist with their enquiries into these matters.
EARLIER: TICKET SALES SUSPENDED AS VICTORY BRACES FOR SANCTIONS
Ticket sales have been suspended to Melbourne Victory’s Boxing Day blockbuster with Western United as the A-League club awaits sanctions following last week’s crowd chaos.
Fans can also no longer purchase tickets to any Melbourne Victory home game until February 3.
One supporter who had bought tickets to two January games reported having them removed from the Ticketek app.
Tickets for the next Melbourne derby between Victory and Melbourne City, the hostile match-up in which the ugly scenes took place, were also unavailable as of Friday afternoon.
Active area tickets (behind the goals) appear to have been blacked out for all home games.
News Corp understands Ticketek have removed the option to buy tickets to those games.
Football Australia is expected to announce sanctions in the next hour, with crowd bans, point deductions and financial penalties all possible outcomes.
Meanwhile, police have released 17 more images of people being sought after last Saturday’s A-League soccer chaos.
The release comes as they warn of a “highly visible” police presence at Monday’s Melbourne Victory-Western United game at AAMI Park.
The new images are of people they are trying to identify over the riotous scenes in last week’s Victory-Melbourne City clash.
Fans stormed the pitch, threw flares and left City goalkeeper Tom Glover bloodied when a bucket was thrown at his face.
It has led to the establishment of a special task force called Astute which has, so far, identified 36 people.
Victoria Police statement warned there should be no repeat Monday.
“Police were appalled by last weekend’s pitch invasion and have laid a number of charges on those involved in the incident for violent disorder, criminal damage and assault,” the statement said.
“This should send a very clear message that police will not tolerate this kind of behaviour at sporting matches.
“We will once again be closely monitoring the behaviour of individuals and we will not hesitate to take swift action against any anti-social or criminal behaviour.”
Anyone with information on those in the images can call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit the website www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
FAN PICTURES RELEASED BY VICTORIA POLICE
More Coverage
Originally published as Melbourne Victory sanctions handed down by FA, ‘bucket man’s’ hooligan history revealed
Rookie winger’s pleasant selection ‘shock’
A potential Socceroos debutant’s coffee plans quickly changed after he was notified he had been chosen in the national squad.
Read more
Striker targeting maiden Socceroos goal
Adelaide Oval looms as the perfect place for a proud South Australian to score his first goal for the Socceroos on Thursday night.
Read more