The Western Sydney Wanderers are again dealing with the issue of crowd behaviour after a Newcastle Jets fan revealed details of a sickening attack on Friday night.
Wanderers fans converged on Hunter Stadium on Friday to watch their side claim the Premier’s Plate with a dominant 3-0 win over Newcastle.
Speaking with The Sunday Telegraph, the attack victim claims he was king-hit by a Wanderers supporter, before being further assaulted by a group of around 15.
“I was walking along and someone jumped me. Then someone started kicking me in the head,” the victim said.
A friend of the man told the Telegraph: “We were trying to hold people back.I was just saying ‘just leave it, just leave it’. But they kept coming at him. A bit of yelling and calling out is part of the fun at the game. But they take it too far.”
The Telegraph reports that police arrested two men in relation to the incident.
The newspaper also reports that a member of the Jets cheersquad had to be escorted from the venue by security guards after being threatened by Wanderers supporters.
Police say most fans were well-behaved at Hunter Stadium on Friday night but again, a minority group is causing the trouble.
Prior to the match on Friday, police had warned that anti-social behaviour would not be tolerated.
“Poor behaviour by any fans will not be tolerated. Those who cause trouble can expect to find themselves before a court and possibly banned from the game for life,” Newcastle City Local Area Commander, Superintendent John Gralton said prior to the match.
The latest incident follows a number of incidents at and around Parramatta Stadium earlier this month, when the Wanderers played Sydney FC in a local derby.
It has been revealed today that Channel Nine sports reporter, Erin Molan, was subject to abuse by Wanderers fans in the hours before the Sydney FC clash.
The Sun Herald reports that Ms Molan attempted to speak with fans at the Woolpack Hotel before the game, to try and capture the build-up to the match. She was then the subject of abuse, and has told her bosses at Nine that she felt threatened.
Nine had to cancel a planned live cross to Ms Molan during its 6pm news bulletin.
Wanderers Executive Chairman, Lyall Gorman, says it is an “absolute minority” causing problems.
“We don’t condone it and we will not stand for it,” he told the Telegraph.
