Burnley Football Club pitch invader given three-year football banning order

During the 88th minute of the fixture at Turf Moor on December 6th, Carlton Hargreaves ran onto the pitch from the North Stand.

Hargreaves ran around the pitch between players, before being detained by club staff.

Hargreaves was arrested and while being taken to the police van, he indicated that he had some reservations about running on the pitch but stated: “you only live once.”

Hargreaves (27) of Longworth Road, Billington, was charged with Section 4 Football Offences Act 1991 - going onto playing area.

He pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates yesterday (March 6th). Hargreaves was given a three-year Football Banning Order and fines totalling £112.

PC Byron Worrall, of Burnley Police, said: “This behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated by Lancashire Police or Burnley Football Club. Hargreaves’ behaviour not only disrupted the game, it also put player safety at unnecessary risk.

“Hargreaves might say that you only live once, but he’ll now have to find another way to fill his afternoons for the next three years.”