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Sheffield United's Billy Sharp Attacked By Nottingham Forest Fan During Pitch Invasion

Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp was attacked by a Nottingham Forest fan after Tuesday's Championship play-off semi-final during a pitch invasion.

Robert Summerscales

Sheffield United's Billy Sharp Attacked By Nottingham Forest Fan During Pitch Invasion
Sheffield United's Billy Sharp Attacked By Nottingham Forest Fan During Pitch Invasion /

Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom expects the Nottingham Forest fan who attacked Billy Sharp to be sent to jail.

Sharp was the victim of an unprovoked attack after Tuesday's EFL Championship play-off semi-final.

Forest fans rushed the City Ground pitch en masse after their side beat United in a penalty shootout to book a trip to Wembley.

Sharp had not been fit enough to play so was stood pitch-side near Heckingbottom as thousands of home fans left their seats and invaded the field.

One fan ran aggressively at Sharp, who had been looking the other way, and appeared to head-butt the 36-year-old before running away, leaving his victim on the floor.

This is the shocking moment that a Nottingham Forest fan dressed in a yellow shirt charged at Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp before appeared to head-butt him
This is the shocking moment that a Nottingham Forest fan dressed in a yellow shirt charged at Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp before appearing to head-butt him / Sky Sports

Heckingbottom was asked about the incident in his post-game interview with Sky Sports.

His response was one of anger. He expressed his frustration at multiple recent incidents which have seen players' safety endangered by fans.

"Nothing's ever done about it," he fumed. "But there will be something done about that. We've seen what's happened. We know what's happened and there's a prison sentence there without a doubt.

"How can you come to your place of work, minding your own business, and be assaulted in that fashion?

"It's bang out of order and it's everything that's wrong. Like I said, too many times we will hear people condemn it but nothing is done about it.

"We're the ones that suffered. It's upsetting for lots of reasons. I don't want to say much more about it but it will be dealt with."

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Robert Summerscales
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES

Robert Summerscales launched FanNation Futbol in February 2022. Rob is a British journalist who previously spent two years on the sports desk at the Daily Mail in London, having earlier served as editor of CaughtOffside.com. He has been to the last two FIFA Men's World Cups, in Russia and Qatar, and is looking forward to completing his hat-trick in North America in 2026.