Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers were today united in their condemnation of a small group of thugs who caused trouble at a friendly match in Campbelltown, vowing to work with the NSW Police to identify the culprits and ban them from Hyundai A-League matches.
Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers were today united in their condemnation of a small group of thugs who caused trouble at a friendly match in Campbelltown, vowing to work with the NSW Police to identify the culprits and ban them from Hyundai A-League matches.
Sydney FC Chief Executive Officer Tony Pignata and Western Sydney Wanderers Executive Chairman Lyall Gorman both labelled the culprits “thugs”, stressing anyone found to have been associated with the trouble would face lengthy bans and were not welcome in the game.
“Sydney FC will not tolerate anyone who displays the type of anti-social behaviour we saw last night,” Pignata said. “We will work with the police to identify those responsible and then work with the FFA to ensure they are banned from attending matches.
“These people are not football fans. They are not Sydney FC fans. They are not Western Sydney Wanderers fans. They will not be attending Sydney FC matches.”
Gorman agreed: “These people are not football fans, they are not a part of either club and they are not welcome in our game. They are thugs who go into sporting arenas to cause trouble and they will be obliterated from our game.
“I don-t care who they are, their anti-social behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated. Once the police identify who they are it is our responsibility to make sure they do not attend games and they do not take away from the family friendly atmosphere we have managed to create at Hyundai A-League games over the years.”
As well as promising swift and harsh action on the perpetrators, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers will undertake collaborative meetings with the organised fan groups of both clubs to ensure the impending rivalry is strong but friendly.
“Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers will sit down with the respective fan groups, together, and ensure that the passionate rivalry we all hope the Sydney derby evokes remains friendly,” Gorman said.
Pignata re-iterated the on-going approach: “Sydney FC fans are passionate football fans and they are just as upset as we and the Western Sydney Wanderers fans are by the actions of these people. We will work with them, and the Western Sydney Wanderers to ensure that behaviour such as this is removed from our game.”
