Sheffield United promotion celebrations a "good example"

EFL Chief Executive Trevor Birch has praised both the supporters of Sheffield United and the Club Safety Operation in place at last night’s Sky Bet Championship fixture after the Blades secured their promotion to the Premier League.

Sheffield United won 2-0 against West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane, but it was the exemplary behaviour of those in the stands, and the precautions taken by the Club helped ensure the night was one to remember for all those in attendance.

This was also the case at Ewood Park earlier in the week, where Burnley were crowned Champions following a 1-0 victory against Blackburn Rovers.

Trevor Birch said: “It is completely understandable that emotions run high during the final stages of the season – particularly when a Club secures a promotion, but last night was a good example of how Clubs can appropriately prepare and mitigate the risk of potential pitch incursions in these circumstances.

“By successfully managing these risks, it gave both the players and coaching staff the opportunity to celebrate their fantastic achievement in the immediate aftermath alongside the supporters, which in turn led to the wonderful scenes we witnessed last night. If we had encountered any problems, then that would not have been possible, which would have been such a shame for the fans.

“Clubs will continue to have contingency plans in place to ensure the safety of those in stadiums up and down the country, and supporters must recognise the seriousness of their actions and the consequences that are in place should they enter the pitch.”

At the start of this season, the Premier League, EFL, NLS Leagues and The FA worked with the Football Supporters’ Association to introduce new measures to tackle anti-social and criminal behaviours, such as entering the pitch.

As we reach the exciting culmination of another thrilling football season, we want fans to continue to show their positive support as this can make all the difference to a team’s fortunes.

But our message is clear: fans must stay in the stands and avoid any unnecessary disruption at such a crucial point of the season.

Love Football, Protect the Game.

Thursday, 27 April 2023