Close Down Stadium of Light For Two Games!

Last updated : 17 January 2011 By Footy Mad - Editor

NU

Following on from an attack on Shay Given the last time we were at the Stadium Of Shite ... another pitch invader confronted Newcastle keeper Steve Harper during yesterday's derby clash, knocking him to the ground.

The supporter ran from behind the goal and pushed or punched the 35-year-old to the ground in the immediate aftermath of Asamoah Gyan's injury-time equaliser as the Black Cats snatched a face-saving draw.

There were ugly scenes after the final whistle and the Football Association is awaiting referee Howard Webb's report.

Webb was quick to spot the earlier incident and make sure stewards and police knew who the alleged offender was.

Steve Bruce: "All I saw was Steve Harper on the floor. I didn't know what had happened at the time.

"I would like say a 'well done' to the Sunderland fans who gave the kid up - and he is a kid, that's what I can't understand either, the age of the lad.

"But the Sunderland fans gave him up, and rightly so.

"The one thing we are up here, we love the football and the passion and all the rest of it, but you don't need to see any scenes like that.

"I hope they ban the kid for a long, long time because he deserves it.

"When I saw the age of him, I just really can't understand society today. What goes through his mind when we have just scored with a minute to go?

"Why the hell he has got to come on to the pitch and confront Steve Harper baffles me.

"It is quite remarkable how he has got that in his mind, to run on to the pitch.

"Why don't you just celebrate with 50-odd thousand like everybody else did?

"Unfortunately, it is a sad indictment of where we are with the youth of today. He's a kid. It's ridiculous."

Alan Pardew: "When you get a last-minute goal in a derby match, there is going to be an over-reaction from everybody, perhaps, you could argue.

"That particular fan, that shouldn't happen, as we know. He got over-exuberant.

"I think he pushed him (Harper] in the back. I don't think there was anything malicious about it.

"I don't really want to harp on about the incident towards the end of the game.

"When you get a last-minute goal like that, passions are running high and people have to control themselves.

"That is, of course, out of our control, but the two sets of players conducted themselves well, and that's what we will take from the game.

"Harps said he barged him in the back. When I first saw it, I thought it was an uglier incident, if I am honest.

"I didn't look a good incident, but I don't think it was that bad in terms of hurting Harps or anything. No punch or anything like that was thrown."