A football fan was jailed for 16 weeks on Monday after he admitted attacking goalkeeper Chris Kirkland at Hillsborough on Friday night.
Aaron Cawley, 21, from Cheltenham, pleaded guilty to assault and invading the pitch during Sheffield Wednesday's televised home match against Leeds.
Cawley, who appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court, was arrested after Wednesday keeper Kirkland was pushed in the face during the game at Hillsborough.
The incident was one of a number of ugly scenes at the Yorkshire derby, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
Kirkland, who has played for England, was shoved to the ground moments after conceding an equaliser in the 76th minute.
A man was clearly seen running from the Leeds fans onto the pitch and pushing Kirkland in the face before running back into the crowd.
The incident was caught on camera by Sky Sports, which was broadcasting the game.
Update:
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what do you think?
gordon pringle
That just about sums up football fans, you obviously think that trespass and assault should carry a 3 game ban for hooligans, no wonder the behaviour of people like this is slipping back to 70/80's. He should have got longer
Pat TWOMEY
Gordon, The clue was in my opener. I was not calling for three game bans, but was highlighting the fact that players who commit vicious and sometimes predetermined assaults on the pitch, can and do get off scot free or with very little sanction. Let's look at it another way, the trespass onto the field of play sometimes carries no penalty (especially when a mob run on), other times it can see a lone individual banned from stadia or having to hand their passport in when their team/Country plays abroad. So, this fella has been jailed for four months for a career ending powder puff slap, when you take out the penalty imposed for trespass. Ah, but what if he was armed with a scarf and an overpriced hot dog, I hear you say :)
George Clement
Just read Pat Twomey's quote about the powder puff slap, well all I can say is Pat must be blind or he must be a fan of the man who delivered the powder puff slap. The goalies head was pushed sideways, upwards and backwards it's a miracle he didn't suffer whiplash. Put it this way I bet Pat wouldn't trade Places with Kirkland. Neil Warnock made a similar comment saying there was inferring there wasn't any power in the shove and later he apologised for the comment probably after he saw it on a TV monitor in the dressing room. I wonder if Pat's a Leeds fan?
Andy Savo Hanson
I'm sorry but just entering the field of play Is a life ban and if the keeper wanted to press for assault and for damages he could do. Remember that fan who ran on the pitch and karate kicked the keeper and the keeper kicked back a few times and got sent off and the match was called off to be played again behind closed doors. The only way you gonna stop this happening again is have stewards/police around the pitch during the whole game.
barry
Never mind the words are "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE"
Pat TWOMEY
3:57pm on 22/10/2012
16 Weeks? Not condoning the supporter's actions, but here is what confuses me, if a player on his own team or the opposing team had been caught on camera slapping Kirkland like that, the result would have ranged from no sanction through to a three game ban for violent conduct, with the offence being dealt with at the time by the four in-game officials or later retrospectively depending on the hoo-ha and media portrayal. We are often told that these on the field serious fouls [serious foul play, violent conduc,t that carry the range of no punishment to several games ban] that had they been carried out in the street would have seen the offender jailed for assault. So, we are now at the situation that the players can assault each other on the field and no jail time, and players can assault fans on the field or in the stands with no jail time, as has been shown in the past. But fans who enter the field and slap players can expect jail. Funnee olde game:)