A person has been arrested on suspicion of assault after Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp was allegedly attacked when Nottingham Forest followers spilled on to the pitch at the end of the Championship playoff semi-final on Wednesday (AEST).
The Blades captain was sidelined for the second leg as a result of of damage and was standing on the touchline after Forest secured a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout victory following a 3-3 mixture draw, which precipitated a pitch invasion at the Metropolis Floor.
You’ll be able to watch the incident in the video above
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Footage shared on social media seems to point out one supporter operating at the 36-year-old former Forest striker and knocking him to the floor.
“A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault in connection with this incident. He remains in custody and will be questioned by officers,” Nottinghamshire Police’s chief inspector Paul Hennessy stated.
“Our enquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident are ongoing. We have spoken to the player concerned and we are working with both clubs who are supporting us with our investigation.”
Sharp required stitches after the incident which a livid Sheffield United boss Paul Heckingbottom labelled “an assault.”
“He’s shook up, bleeding, angry,” Heckingbottom stated.
“Bill was minding his own business off the pitch, trying to get our players away. He was blindsided, it was cowardly. He was knocked to the ground (and required) stitches, he was shook up.”
Forest have condemned the incident and say the offender shall be topic to “a life ban” from the membership.
“Nottingham Forest Football Club are appalled to learn that our former player, Billy Sharp, was assaulted leaving the pitch after tonight’s match at the City Ground,” the assertion added.
“The club would also like to apologise to Billy personally and to Sheffield United Football Club.”
The Blades had dragged themselves again into the tie after shedding the first leg 2-1 and trailing on the night time to Brennan Johnson’s opener.
Second-half objectives from Morgan Gibbs-White and John Fleck took it to further time and after one other half-hour and nonetheless 3-3 on mixture, Congolese goalkeeper Brice Samba denied Oliver Norwood, Conor Hourihane and Gibbs-White in the shootout to ship Forest by way of to a showdown in opposition to Huddersfield at Wembley Stadium on Sunday Might 29.
Forest, backside of the second tier after seven video games when Steve Cooper took cost in September, are actually only one win away from a return to the top-flight after a 23-year absence.
“I would have loved to have won the game 3-1 and walked off but the fact we’ve done it like we have means we’re more tooled up now to go to the final,” Cooper stated.
“I promise you I’ll work even tougher than I’ve labored to get this. No days off, I’ll be the first one at the coaching floor (on Wednesday) and we’ll be prepared.
