Melbourne City Football Club have confirmed that Tom Glover will remain under concussion protocols after Saturday night’s violent pitch invasion in which he was struck in the head with a metal bin.
The goalkeeper was rushed to hospital with concussion and ‘severe lacerations’ after more than 150 spectators forced their way onto the pitch after 20 minutes of play.
Glover was left bleeding from the head and the match was soon abandoned due to fears for player safety.
Melbourne City have confirmed that Tom Glover (pictured) will remain under concussion protocols after Saturday night’s violent pitch invasion in which he was struck in the head with a metal bin
The goalkeeper (pictured being struck) was rushed to hospital with concussion and ‘severe lacerations’ after more than 150 spectators forced their way onto the pitch after 20 minutes of play
The club issued an update on the gloveman’s condition on Sunday morning.
‘Tom suffered a concussion and severe lacerations to the face,’ the tweet from Melbourne City stated.
‘He was taken to the Epworth Hospital for further checks and was cleared of any further trauma, returning home in the early hours of this morning.
‘He’ll stay home today and will then be managed by the club in his return to training based on concussion protocols.’
A-League referee Alex King, who was also hurt in the shocking scenes at AAMI Park, apparently warned Glover ‘let’s get out of here,’ only seconds before they were surrounded and attacked
Paul Cetrangolo, the boss of Professional Football Referees Australia, revealed that King tried to shield Glover from the rushing fans and had wanted him to make a run for it moments before they were assaulted
A-League referee Alex King, who was also hurt in the shocking scenes at AAMI Park, apparently warned Glover ‘let’s get out of here,’ only seconds before they were surrounded and attacked.
Paul Cetrangolo, the boss of Professional Football Referees Australia, revealed that King tried to shield Glover from the rushing fans and had wanted him to make a run for it moments before they were assaulted.
‘When he saw what was happening, he actually told the goalkeeper, ‘Let’s get out of here’,’ Cetrangolo told the Herald.
‘It was right at the time they were about to go, then they were just surrounded.
‘He obviously saw what was happening. That was the communication to the goalkeeper about not just standing there, about getting out of there. Then it was obviously too late and all hell broke loose.
‘He obviously was right in the middle of it, unfortunately. I’ve spoken with him [on Sunday] morning and he’s perfectly OK. There’s no lasting effects and nothing that required any major intervention from medicos.’
Fans (pictured) then stormed onto the pitch and Glover and referee Alex King were both struck by the metal bucket, which is filled with sand and used to dispose of flares
Furious with the A-League’s decision to send the next three grand finals to Sydney, both sets of fans were planning to stage a mass walkout on the 20th minute to vent their discontent with the decision.
They had earlier chanted ‘f*** the APL’ while unfurling banners pre-game and during the match, and throwing flares onto the playing arena.
But the situation escalated when a flare from the Victory active area hit the cameraman, then exploded when Glover picked up another flare off the ground and threw it back into the stands.
Fans, primarily Victory ones, then stormed onto the pitch and Glover and referee Alex King were both struck by the metal bucket, which is filled with sand and used to dispose of flares.
Glover was left with a cut head, requiring stitches, and a suspected concussion while King had a gash on his eyebrow. A Network 10 cameraman was earlier injured when he was hit by a flare.
Football Australia boss James Johnson said on Sunday that he is ‘horrified and irritated’ with the scenes witnessed at Saturday’s night chaotic A-League derby (pictured) – but insists the game is ‘very safe’
Football Australia boss James Johnson said on Sunday that he is ‘horrified and irritated’ with the scenes witnessed at Saturday’s night chaotic A-League derby – but insists the game is ‘very safe’.
‘I’m horrified, I’m irritated, I’m angry with the scenes we witnesses last night,’ he said at the press conference.
‘We have in the case of some individuals – I will not refer to them as football fans – who have confronted a player and they met official individuals who have willfully disrupted led individuals who have invaded faded the pitch.’
‘Football is very safe. We saw in the other games there were peaceful protests … I don’t think it’s a reflection on the broader game.’
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