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Galatasaray vs Peter Schmeichel
"It was a terrifying business which had nothing to do with sport, and can be categorised objectively as an absolute disgrace," said Alex Ferguson of Manchester United's trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray in 1993. The fan-conquering Schmeichel may not concur.
A home supporter entered the field in the closing stages of this Champions League encounter, which prompted the United goalkeeper to take action. Schmeichel grabbed the fan and ushered him to the side of the pitch, before spectacularly throwing him over the touchline. Lesson: don’t mess with the Great Dane.
Ajax vs Esteban Alvarado
With 36 minutes played in AZ Alkmaar’s KNVB Cup match against Ajax, goalkeeper Alvarado was approached by an Ajax fan who appeared intent on attacking the 22-year-old shot-stopper. The fan and Alvarado jump-kicked each other, before the latter gained the upper hand and began treating the stricken supporter's body like a football.
Spain vs Frode Olsen
Norway's No.1 took matters into his own hands when a fan entered the field during an international fixture against Spain in 2003. The goalkeeper showed a quick turn of pace when chasing the unwelcome visitor, before performing a flying tackle to make Vinnie Jones wince, connecting with the knee and getting absolutely none of the ball.
Petrolul vs George Galamaz
Referee Robert Dumitru’s decision to award Steaua Bucharest a penalty just before half-time in their Romanian league clash with Petrolul would have unimaginable consequences for Steaua’s Galamaz. As the penalty was set up, a Petrolul fan broke onto the pitch and ran at Galamaz from behind, punching him on the side of the head.
The hefty connection left the defender with a broken zygomatic bone, with Galamaz's hearing also damaged. His team-mates didn't take kindly to the invader's actions and proceeded to attack the supporter, which brought them two red cards.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Clint Hill
A 2-2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough was enough to secure survival for Crystal Palace in 2010, with the Owls dropping to the third tier instead. The home fans, who took exception when a handful of travelling supporters entered the field to celebrate, decided to launch their own pitch invasion, which Palace defender Clint Hill got himself caught up in.
Leicester vs Ian Walker
When you've conceded five goals in a Midlands derby, it's natural for a goalkeeper to receive abuse from those on the terraces. Leicester's Ian Walker wasn't impressed when a Foxes fan approached him and shared his views on the custodian's starting position against Aston Villa, however.
The England international grabbed hold of the supporter and shoved him to the ground, before stewards intervened to drag him away. Let's call it 5-1?
Hearts vs Neil Lennon
Then-Celtic manager Lennon admitted to feeling "endangered, annoyed, upset and angry" when he was attacked by a Hearts fan in 2011. The supporter ran into the technical area and jumped into the Bhoys boss, before being escorted away by stewards and police.
The fan was found guilty of a breach of the peace, but a charge of sectarian assault on Lennon was found 'not proven'.
Celtic vs Gordon Strachan
Strachan won three league titles and three domestic cup competitions during his time as Celtic manager, but he wasn't always so popular with the club's supporters.
Indeed, the former Scotland boss was once targeted by a Bhoys follower during his playing days, the fan in question taking exception to Strachan's expertly converted penalty for Aberdeen in 1981. The Celtic supporter didn't get close enough to the celebrating midfielder, though, and was quickly hauled off by two police officers.
Blackburn vs Ashley Westwood
There's certainly no love lost between Burnley and Blackburn, but one Rovers fan overstepped the mark when he grabbed Clarets man Westwood by the throat in a League Cup tie in 2017.
The poor midfielder wasn't even the player who'd given Burnley the lead moments before - that was Jack Cork - but two Blackburn fans nevertheless took exception and picked Westwood as their target.
Havant & Waterlooville vs Ashley Vickers
When player-manager Vickers was forced to play for Dorchester Town amid an injury crisis, he could hardly have envisage how his evening would end.
When a pitch invader wearing nothing but a Borat-style mankini continued to evade the stewards' attempted tackles, Vickers caught up with the fan and wrestled him to the ground. And what thanks did he get? A red card from the referee.
Leeds vs Chris Kirkland
In a fiery Yorkshire derby, Leeds' Michael Tonge had just equalised against Sheffield Wednesday when Owls goalkeeper Chris Kirkland was violently shoved in the face by a Leeds supporter.
The keeper received treatment on the field for minutes after the incident, which led to the jailing of the fan, who claimed to be "so drunk" that he had no memory of the event.
Nottingham Forest vs Brian Clough
When Nottingham Forest fans invaded the pitch to celebrate a 5-2 victory over QPR in 1989, they may have ambitiously hoped to steal a hug off legendary manager Brian Clough. They got nothing of the sort.
Instead, Clough went on the attack, clipping two supporters around the ear and throwing another one off the pitch. He later gave two of the fans the chance to kiss him on the cheek by way of apology.
Stevenage vs Scott Laird
A punch-up with a twist. When Stevenage's Scott Laird was felled by a fan during the pitch invasion that followed Boro's 2011 victory over Newcastle in the FA Cup, he wasn't the victim of an indiscriminate attack. Ask the defendant's lawyer.
"[The defendant] sees the injured party and he throws a punch. Why? Because the injured party had had a relationship with [the defendant's] current girlfriend," lawyer Jennifer Browne later told the court. The guilty party was jailed for 12 weeks.
Arsenal vs Jamie Carragher
Carragher wasn’t struck with a fist in an FA Cup tie in 2002, but rather a coin thrown by an Arsenal fans at Highbury. The Liverpool defender certainly wasn’t the first player to be hit by a bit of loose change, but his decision to chuck said coin back into the crowd makes this incident stand out.
Carragher was duly sent off by Mike Riley, while three Gunners supporters claimed to have been hit by the missile. “No matter what the physical or verbal provocation, I shouldn't have reacted like that,” the Scouser said sheepishly.
Birmingham vs Jack Grealish
Second City derbies are invariably hot-tempered affairs, but one Birmingham supporter crossed the line (both figuratively and literally) in last season's meeting at St Andrew's when he ran onto the field and punched Grealish from behind.
Thankfully, the Aston Villa captain wasn't hurt, and there were even pictures taken showing him sitting up and laughing while a melee broke out behind him. He had the last laugh too, scoring the winning goal in front of Villa's travelling support.
Tottenham vs Frank Lampard
The drama didn't end upon the sounding of the final whistle when Chelsea beat Tottenham 2-1 in an FA Cup quarter-final in 2007. Lampard and his team-mates were celebrating their hard-fought victory over a London rival when a Spurs supporter marched onto the White Hart Lane turf and aimed a punch in the England midfielder's direction.
Lampard came out unscathed, with Chelsea's then-assistant boss, Rui Faria, dragging the fan to the ground. Didier Drogba was then accused of stamping on the pitch invader, a charge that television footage appeared to back up.
Everton vs Anthony Lopes
When television cameras picked up an Everton fan lashing out at Lyon goalkeeper Lopes while holding a young child, the supporter in question seemingly had nowhere to go. Yet instead of holding his hands up and acknowledging the error of his ways, Dad of the Year launched a spectacular defence of his actions.
“I [got] getting carried forward with other fans. Before I knew it I was through the gate, which should have been shut. Everton should have provided adequate security,” he said before castigating the Lyon players for putting his child in danger by swinging their arms. “They’re supposed to be setting an example, as professional athletes.”
Peru vs Denmark
Austria appeared to have one foot in the semi-finals of the 1936 Olympics tournament when they established a 2-0 lead against Peru. Yet the resilient South Americans struck twice to take the game to extra time, then scored another two goals in the additional 30 minutes - but only after a group of Peruvians had assaulted several members of the Austria team.
FIFA took switch action, voiding the result and ordering a behind-closed-doors replay, a decision which prompted the aghast Peruvians to quit the competition in a huff. Who said Olympics football isn't taken seriously?
Crystal Palace vs Eric Cantona
Perhaps the most shocking moment in Premier League history, Cantona aimed a kung-fu kick at Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons after he allegedly told the Manchester United man to "f*** off back to France".
Cantona had received a red card shortly before the incident for kicking out at Palace defender Richard Shaw, but that misdemeanor pailed into insignificance soon after. The unrepentant former Leeds man, who later told FFT that he "should have punched him harder", was hit with a nine-month ban and handed 120 hours of community service.
