Why/how are we the only club that never does pitch invasions?

[DI36O]

First time I remember being on the pitch was v Peterborough in 1982 when we clinched promotion from Div 4. Only as the entire crowd was on by that point. I was on again the following week at Darlington. About ten years back, some last home match laps of honour were delayed / spoilt by people running on and we've largely stayed off ever since.

Yeah I think its those times when we're all waiting in the stands for the last 50 people to try and execute a Vini style cartwheel, it got tiresome quickly.

 

[Stretch]

This one was pretty good


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[ShorehamRevolution]

I’m sure it was a tradition on the last game of the season ?!

 

[ShorehamRevolution]

This one was pretty good


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It’ll always be my favourite blades picture that as I was stood bang at the side of the photographer so had that exact view too. I really need to get it up on my wall and get Billy to sign it really

 

[Grey Blade]

This one was pretty good


.View attachment 210777

I've never invaded the pitch but that was the one time I regretted not doing so.

 

[Dnblade]

Times have changed,we used to have a pitch invasion on the last home game every season,it was traditional...the last one i can remember was v Stevenage in the play off semi.
I can remember going on a couple of times years ago...Watford '71,and Birmingham '75 i think it was.
I can see the reasons why it's best to stay off the pitch,but it's good memories for young lads,especially if it's something to celebrate like the Watford one..the one against Birmingham could have got nasty though as their fans spilled onto the pitch in the corner of the Lane end towards John Street.

 

[Pittsburg Blade]

27 Apr 1971
Sheffield United 5 v 1 Cardiff City.
Unforgettable pitch invasion.

 

[Silent Blade]

Watford 1971



If you have facebook, then join the Handsworth Blades group to see the video

 

[S64 Blade]

I remember an invasion happening after beating Preston in the Play Off semi in 2009?

Yeah a steward dragged me off the pitch despite being surrounded by thousands of other people. I just walked back on to find my mates once he’d taken me to the sideline.

I wouldn’t do it now (a folly of youth in 2009), unless it was another Northampton moment of pure relief and elation (which was the last time I did it).

I seem to recall people used to invade the pitch on the final day of the season in the late 90s/early 00s. I may be misremembering but I’m sure I recall seeing it, along with people trying to dig up some turf.

 

[Melbourne Blade]

Didn't we invade the pitch at Northampton in 2017? Maybe last time we did.

 

[WORKSOPBLADE]

Oldham away were always decent pitch invasions

 

[Edgar Allan Poo]

To be absolutely clear its a good thing that we don't do it and other clubs shouldn't do it.

However Burnley did it, Sunderland did it tonight- hell even Bristol City did it.

How have we managed it so effectively?

As a vampire, I have to be invited.

 

[Dkc]

Didn't we invade the pitch at Northampton in 2017? Maybe last time we did.

MK Dons too

 

[Flumps]

It's just fabricated elation now. When I was younger a pitch invasion was for a huge victory and even them it was reserved only for either a tight game or an amazing win in said big occasion AND even then not everyone did it because they thought it was a bit much.

Now it's just the standard for fans to pretend it's something amazing when in reality it isn't. Sunderland pitch invasion for winning nothing other than ... A progression to the next round.

Was once something some fans did in the heat of the moment and now it's pretty much almost planned. I think it was Derbys promotion last season? We was in a pub when it was on and was on the telly and you heard the commentary say "the fans moving down the stands for the pitch invasion at the final whistle"

 

[JPBrods]

Because we’ve had startlingly few pitch invasion worthy moments.
It has to accompany certainty and be something that marks the turning of a corner for it to be something that sparks such scenes, and usually needs to be at home.
We did it at Northampton in 2017 because the league one nightmare had needed emphatically.
We didn’t do it against Ipswich in 2019 to get to the prem because it wasn’t mathematical.
We didn’t do it against West Brom in 2023 when it was mathematical because it didn’t feel like promotion to the premier league was a bold new step given the recency of 2019.
We didn’t do it after going to Wembley because we have done that before in the past only to suffer pain and humiliation in London, making such celebrations seem mute.
We’ve also been to Wembley many times now, for some clubs going there still feels like once in a blue moon whereas we seem to manage it every few years or so.

 

[Blademan89]

Bet those Burnley fans wished they didn't go on theirs after receiving lifetime bans from turf moor, and any other property owned by Burnley.

Also as other have alluded to we knew the outcome of the semis, was no raw emotion from a last minute winner where we was under dogs and sneaked into play offs, we have also recently just come out of premier league and done the whole play offs plenty of times, its nothing new to us or years of waiting etc.

 

[FMBlade1]

Bet those Burnley fans wished they didn't go on theirs after receiving lifetime bans from turf moor, and any other property owned by Burnley.

Also as other have alluded to we knew the outcome of the semis, was no raw emotion from a last minute winner where we was under dogs and sneaked into play offs, we have also recently just come out of premier league and done the whole play offs plenty of times, its nothing new to us or years of waiting etc.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25153923.burnley-fc-fans-ran-pitch-handed-lifetime-bans/#:~:text=In a letter being shared,to do with the club.

Fake news unfortunately.

With that said if they can identify those who did the damage they should surely be able to identify those who went on the pitch.

If clubs don't take action the FA/EFL should force clubs to play behind closed doors/without fans for three games or something.

With that said after the Forest incident/crime if that won't spur any action nothing will until/unless someone gets killed.

Edit: In case this gets picked up or misconstrued, this is not a dig at Sunderland or sour grapes in advance, it's a wider point.

 

[metalblade]

I've never been one for running on the pitch it all seems very childish to me especially when you haven't actually won owt, I get it when some non league team does a bit of giant killing but just for getting to play at Wembley? Today a game at Wembley doesn't seem to be a big deal to me maybe because we seem to do it every 5 years or so rather than it being once in a blue moon. Possibly that is because there is a lot more chance of it happening with the play off games and cup semi's being played there now and it has lost it's exclusivity. Pitch invasions used to be good natured but not anymore as we saw at Forest and Burnley some want to just get in the face of player and film it on their phones.

 

[GrunkyPeep]

I reckon it might have died down with the rise of camera phones.

Always seems a bit embarrassing to see grown adults filming themselves running on the pitch for clout.

 

[BalticBlade]

To be absolutely clear its a good thing that we don't do it and other clubs shouldn't do it.

However Burnley did it, Sunderland did it tonight- hell even Bristol City did it.

How have we managed it so effectively?

Even educated fleas do it

 

[BalticBlade]

They don't make pitch invasions like this any more ...

 

[Lord Eddard Muir]

Funnily enough one of little'un's mates asked me on the school run this morning "will you go on the pitch if you win at Wembley?" Don't be daft lad, have you seen the price of pitchside tickets?

Little twat then said he hopes Sunderland win anyway

 

[ZoneManWilf]

2 'best' pitch invasions I've seen at BDTBL:

• Forest at home December 1990.
• Coventry in the fa cup quarter final 1998.

Both impulsive ones done purely in the joy of the moment.

Stevenage at home was the most tinpot.

 

[dexter101]

Different times nowadays isn't it? pitches used to be of various quality etc. Now club spends a fortune on keeping it looking perfect (and doesn't it look great currently!)

I get why it happened last night at Sunderland, fairly unexpected goal in the dying moments, everyone gets a bit carried away.

Burnley knew they were going up for ages before the final whistle, that was just planned and they were dicks about it.

 

[Working Class Hero]

I can remember a few, the last one being Northampton. I'm not normally a fan, but that day was special.

It's a good point though, we haven't don't it for years while other clubs still seem to do it.

I think our fans have changed massively the last few years. A mixture of different expectations and quite a lot of apathy mean that we're not quite as excitable as we used to be.

 

[Blademan89]

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/25153923.burnley-fc-fans-ran-pitch-handed-lifetime-bans/#:~:text=In a letter being shared,to do with the club.

Fake news unfortunately.

With that said if they can identify those who did the damage they should surely be able to identify those who went on the pitch.

If clubs don't take action the FA/EFL should force clubs to play behind closed doors/without fans for three games or something.

With that said after the Forest incident/crime if that won't spur any action nothing will until/unless someone gets killed.

Edit: In case this gets picked up or misconstrued, this is not a dig at Sunderland or sour grapes in advance, it's a wider point.

Well thanks for pointing that out as i wasnt aware, I myself though at the time of seeing it, that it was harsh.

Not sure what people get out of putting a fake letter on saying there been banned like.

And agreed woth what you say regarding rest of them.

I have no issues with pitch invasion, great when your a young lad, as long as its kept with good behavior. Goading opposition players and fans whilst doing it is just pathetic and ruins it for everyone else.

 

[HillStreet Blade]

I did the Darlington and Leicester invasions.

 

[bakeblade]

I've been present a few times when it's happened, but nothing in recent memory that springs to mind, especially not at home.

The last one I recall was Northampton away in 2017. Then I think we did at least one pitch invasion in 02/03, though it might have been 2 or 3. And then when we beat Cov on pens in 98 I think we did too.

Overall I think we (Blades specifically) have developed a greater respect for the players and their safety, compared to some other teams. But some of that behaviour has evolved generally, and moved away from pitch invasions, and towards pyrotechnics. Which is a whole other can of worms.

Best one was after the Northampton beam back, that was a bit bizarre

 

[Cappy]

 

[Shadota]

Best one was after the Northampton beam back, that was a bit bizarre

I was stuck at work that day. Had to rely on the BBC website getting updated to know what the score was.