PFA chairman calls for life ban for fans who assault players

Professional Footballers’ Association chairman John Mousinho believes supporters who assault players must be banned for life and football needs to realise it has a growing problem with fan disorder.

The Oxford defender insists the worrying trend of violence towards players has to be stamped out quickly after a series of recent flashpoints.

A teenager has been charged after three Nottingham Forest players were allegedly assaulted while celebrating a goal during their 4-1 FA Cup win over Leicester.

Nottinghamshire Police said Cameron Toner, 19, of Leicester, has been charged with three counts of common assault and a separate offence of going onto a playing area at a football match.

Rotherham also banned two supporters for life earlier this month after a pitch invasion where Harry Pell appeared to be struck as he prepared to take a penalty against Accrington, with Stanley manager John Coleman saying he expected the game to be abandoned.

Leicester have also promised to issue a lifetime ban and Mousinho would support blanket bans for offenders.

He told the PA news agency: “I can’t see a reason for a fan to be allowed back into a football stadium if they come onto the pitch and assault a player.

“It’s a conscious choice. The term has to be large enough for people to decide they are not going to do it.

“Where fans come on the pitch, especially where there is an interaction with players, the harshest possible ban and consequences from a football point of view and a legal standpoint are needed, we would encourage that.

“From a players’ union view, when fans come on the pitch the players’ first instinct is to protect themselves. The guideline is for players to stay away but if someone is running at you, you don’t know if they are