Manchester City fined over pitch invasion to celebrate Premier League title win

Manchester City have been fined £260,000 and given a warning over the pitch invasion after their Premier League title win in May.

Fans ran onto the pitch after City fought back from 2-0 down against Aston Villa to win 3-2 and clinch the top-flight crown on Sunday 22 May.

City admitted a Football Association charge that they “failed to ensure spectators… conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from using threatening and violent behaviour while encroaching onto the pitch after the final whistle”.

The sanctions were imposed by an independent regulatory commission during a hearing.

A City fan was given a four-year football banning order in June for entering the field and taunting Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen after Ilkay Gundogan had scored the Blues’ decisive third goal, which kept them ahead of Liverpool in the race for the title.

Inquiries are ongoing into a reported assault on Olsen that occurred during the mass pitch invasion after the final whistle.

City issued an apology to Olsen over the incident and pledged to issue an indefinite ban to the individual responsible.

The end of of the 2021/22 season was marred by pitch invasions at Premier League and EFL fixtures.

In September Everton were fined £300,000 as fans went onto the pitch at the end of their match against Crystal Palace, after the Toffees secured their Premier League status.

Sheffield United forward Billy Sharp was head butted by a pitch-invading supporter during his side’s play-off semi-final defeat at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground.

Data released by the Home Office last month showed there were 441 pitch encroachments at matches in England and Wales last season.

This is an increase of 127% compared to 2018-19, the last complete season unaffected by Covid-19 restrictions.