Bristol Rovers and Portsmouth fans are subject of a FA investigation following two incidents concerning supporters on both sides during their League One encounter at Fratton Park earlier this month.
Portsmouth CEO Andy Cullen revealed in a statement on Wednesday night that during the 3-1 defeat for the Gas, in which 1,843 supporters made the trip down to the south coast, “plastic drinks bottles were thrown onto the pitch from the away section, aimed at players and home supporters”.
Cullen has confirmed the perpetrator has since been identified via CCTV and their details passed onto the police and Bristol Rovers.
During the second half, Cullen added that, “the match referee was struck by a coin thrown from ‘Block FAA’ of the Fratton End”, with an appeal sent out to home supporters who may have witnessed the incident. The Fratton End is the home end of Pompey’s ground, directly opposite the pitch where the travelling Gasheads were housed in the Milton End.
"A coin striking the match referee, or indeed any individual on the field of play, is extremely serious, with consequences for the victim, the perpetrator and the club," said Cullen. "Such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable and cannot – and will not – be tolerated.
"Given the range of sanctions at The FA’s disposal, repeated incidents could also impact on innocent supporters, with restrictions placed on future ground capacity, especially in stands identified as problem areas."
Both incidents are now under investigation by the FA, the second such time crowd trouble involving Rovers has been looked at by the authorities.
Rovers were fined £16,500 in August for their two pitch invasions during and after the 7-0 promotion-clinching win over Scunthorpe United on May 7, which saw visiting goalkeeper Owen Foster assaulted by a 16-year-old fan, who has since been handed a banning order.
The Gas also had two play their first two games of the 2022/23 League One season with a reduced capacity in the Thatchers End following sanctions imposed by the Safety Advisory Group (SAG) due to events at Scunthorpe and in the previous home fixture against Forest Green Rovers. Those sanctions have since been lifted.
Three Rovers fans have been subject to banning orders so far this season following the incidents at those two games.
On Saturday, Shrewsbury Town manager Steve Cotterill was subjected to abuse after a 1-1 draw at the Mem in which a small group of Rovers fans had stayed behind after the game in the West Stand to scream obscenities at the former Bristol City manager, while one member of that group also shouted, “I wish you were dead” at the 58-year-old, who spent significant time in intensive care last year with Covid-19. Rovers have declined to comment on the matter.
The FA and EFL have promised to clamp down on the perceived rise in anti-social behaviour at professional matches in the wake of a spate of pitch invasions at a number of clubs which have put players and match officials at unnecessary risk.
That includes toughening measures, and punishments, for “entering the pitch without permission, carrying or using smoke bombs or pyrotechnics and throwing objects - as well as drug use and discriminatory behaviour.”
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