Latest editorial
Port Vale fans invade the pitch after victory in the penalty shoot-out against Accrington on 19/5/22
Players stress importance of unity and describe how war affects their preparations for the tournament
Free Lions fan group accuses governing body of prioritising profit over supporter safety
SUPPORTERS of EFL clubs have been warned tougher sanctions for pitch invasions are on the way after a spate of disorder towards the end of the season.
The play-off semi-finals in particular were blighted by problems, with a Nottingham Forest fan jailed for 24 weeks after he attacked Sheffield United’s Billy Sharp.
Police investigations are also ongoing in relation to player assaults at the Northampton v Mansfield and Port Vale v Swindon matches, while a 16-year-old boy admitted assaulting a Scunthorpe player during a pitch invasion at Bristol Rovers at the end of the League Two regular season on May 7.
As football grapples with overloaded calendars and commercial pressure, the Mariners’ triumph reminds us why the game’s soul lives far from the spotlight, writes JAMES NALTON
JAMES NALTON takes a look at the German league’s move to grow its audience in Britain, and around the future of football on TV in general
