Fans face beach ball search

Man Utd fans snap up beach sets ahead of Anfield clash

Last updated: 20th October 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Fans face beach ball search

Beached: Pepe Reina is beaten be Darren Bent's shot

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Manchester United fans are to be searched for beach balls before their clash with Liverpool on Sunday in a bid to stop a Darren Bent goal "tribute" at Anfield.

Liverpool beach balls have sold out on the club's official website with United fans thought to be snapping up copies of the now infamous red ball.

And although Liverpool are not planning any specific measures ahead of kick-off, fans will be searched before the game and any offending items - including beach balls - will be confiscated. "It will be the normal search policy," said a Liverpool spokesperson.

Reds supporters watched in disbelief as they lost 1-0 to Sunderland on Saturday when a shot by Bent hit a beach ball and swerved past goalkeeper Pepe Reina.

The toy had been thrown on to the pitch by a young Liverpool fan - who now has a number of Facebook appreciation sites dedicated to him by rival fans.

When skysports.com visited the Anfield website, a message appeared saying "product not available". It is thought the beach sets have sold out rather than been withdrawn. A spokesman for Liverpool FC was not available for comment.

Meanwhile, messages have appeared from Liverpool fans on internet forums venting hatred at the boy.

Incident

Merseyside Police said they had not yet identified the youngster, and that the matter is being dealt with by Northumbria Police.

A spokeswoman for Northumbria Police said the boy did not have to be escorted out of the stadium for his own protection. She said investigations into the ball-throwing incident were continuing.

Dave Usher, editor of the Liverpool Way fanzine, said the boy should not be blamed for Liverpool's defeat and slammed the witch-hunt against him.

"I think there's been a hysterical over-reaction to be honest," he told Sky News.

"I mean obviously he shouldn't have thrown it on the pitch ... but it seems it was thrown on and Pepe's put it in the back of the goal.

"And it's been there for a few minutes and the wind's caught it and blown it out so I think the witch-hunt against the boy is just stupid."

Mike Jones, the referee at the centre of the controversy, has been removed from the Premier League match list for this weekend having allowed Bent's effort to stand when the game should have been stopped due to "outside interference".

Jones will take charge of Peterborough versus Scunthorpe in the Championship.

Comments (26)

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Kevin Corcoran (Manchester United fan) says...

Let's take all the fun out of football anyway. being searched for a beach ball is insane. is it any wonder there's no atmosphere at games anymore. first we're told we can't stand up, now we can't bring harmless objects to support our teams, next we won't be allowed to sing. forget it, let's all go to the ballet instead.

Posted 13:33 20th October 2009

Bryn Sturgeon (Manchester United fan) says...

Ah this incident has made my weekend and I do hope that thousands of balls are fired onto the pitch on super sunday just BEFORE kickoff for a bit of fun- they can be cleared up and people can have a laugh and move on. I think the people who control football need to remember that it's supposed to be fun and entertaining which it certainly has been. I agree with the comment asking about the other officials though- surely ONE of them should have known the rule! I do still think the 4th officials role is a bit of a mystery- surely they should be helping the ref with these sorts of decisions as they are referees themselves?!

Posted 13:27 20th October 2009

Paul Nimmo (Liverpool fan) says...

What Happened to Great Liverpool team of Old ? Now we blame a beach ball for the Loss Sack Benitez !

Posted 13:26 20th October 2009

S D (Liverpool fan) says...

I didn't watch the match but I was told the beach ball was on the pitch for at least 5 mins by which time it could have been removed from the pitch or an official alerted. It was a poor perfomance that cost us not outside interefence. hopefully we'll get a good result tonight and on the weekend.

Posted 13:19 20th October 2009

Shaun Price (Manchester United fan) says...

How pathetic some Liverpool supporters are in berating the kid who lobbed the beach ball onto the field. Reina should have booted it off the pitch in the first palce instead of keeping it to take home for his kids. More to the point, those myopic fans should stop looking for excuses and accept the fact that Sunderland were so much better than you anyway and fully deserved to win. Champions???... I don't think so. See you Sunday. xx

Posted 13:17 20th October 2009

Kamran Ali (Liverpool fan) says...

Face it, we were awful, not the boys fault, we need money we need players, voronin, lucas out aquilani fit and please please please can we get another decent striker and go with 2 up top

Posted 13:03 20th October 2009

Richard Heath (Liverpool fan) says...

The whole thing is just growing old now. Can we not just get on with the season and enjoy the big game coming up on Sunday without seeing and hearing silly comments about this beach ball incidents and searching people for beach balls!!! Nice to see there are still bitter Manc fans out there, obviously still a bit sensitive about the 4-1 thrashing at there place last season!! SUPER SUNDAY! CANT WAIT!

Posted 12:57 20th October 2009

Anthony Leclezio (Manchester United fan) says...

Many people are saying that it should'nt have counted because it was an outside interference, However, how about if the opposite had happened? How about if Bent's effort was originally bound to go into the net, but was then deviated outside by the ball? Still outside interference right? Yet do you honestly think the referee would have given the goal in this circumstances? You can't have it both ways.

Posted 12:43 20th October 2009

Eric Canton (Manchester United fan) says...

Funny how the world famous lovable scouse humour goes out the window when the jokes on them..... Didn't see the stewards rushing to take the inflatable aeroplanes away from people as they we're being thrown about last season.....

Posted 12:40 20th October 2009

John Kelford (Sunderland fan) says...

Fair play to Benitez for not using it as an excuse or making a fuss about it. I bet Alex Ferguson would have demanded the match to be replayed. He is such a bad loser.

Posted 12:34 20th October 2009

Darren Mccready (Manchester United fan) says...

I think to blame a little kid for Liverpools defeat is ridiculous. Even Benitez didn't use it as an excuse which was refreshing to see. For a start - he's only a kid. Secondly - grown men threatening a kid through a forum over some freakish accident is a bit pathetic to be honest. If anything the blame lies with the team's performance or an error on the match official's behalf. But to blame the ref is a bit harsh as, lets face it, when have you ever seen an incident like that in a top level football match? I don't think most ref's would even know how to react.

Posted 12:28 20th October 2009

Matthew Johnson (Morecambe fan) says...

I think Liverpool will win the league!! with the beach ball or no beach ball.

Posted 12:25 20th October 2009

Jamie Eggleton (Leeds United fan) says...

In all this mess - it's been forgotten how good Sunderland played and how solid their defence was. Liverpool didn't deserve anything out of the game anyway. They were apaulling - Sunderland deserved the win.

Posted 12:22 20th October 2009

Adrian Chapman (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

People are very quick to say that the goal should've been disallowed, but Manchester city had the same thing a few years ago against Sheffield Utd in the cup, only with balloons! There wasn't as much fuss made after that game. If this sort of incident is to be stopped then ALL the officials and stewards should make sure that all "beach balls" and balloons are removed from the pitch before kick off and ensure that they are not able to interfere with play. Liverpool were happy to play on knowing that the ball was at the dge of the pitch and I'm sure they'd be happy to take the goal if it was the other way round! It was a freak accident and they need to look to the next game and try to turn their season around and not look back at things that they can't change!!

Posted 12:11 20th October 2009

Richard Hall (Leeds United fan) says...

Beach ball an offending item......what next....the meat pies!!! Get a grip, This was a comedy act lead by the referee and his team, who should know the rules of the game!!!!!! The young lad was probably the best liverpool performer on the pitch. If the Liverpool fans are showing hatred to this young guy, then lets hope it happens to them week upon week. So much for YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE.........

Posted 12:08 20th October 2009

Peter Mackness (Manchester United fan) says...

Eric Cantona would like to invite LIverpool FC to join his beach football compettion next summer. Real beach balls only please, none of these plastic ones that bend and twist naturally, no matter if your name is Ronaldo. Bring back the real leather ball.

Posted 11:57 20th October 2009

Danny H (Manchester United fan) says...

Cant wait for sunday, it will be just like Benidorm in the Anfield rd section. Maybe a few Beech boys songs should be played too! RED ARMY!!

Posted 11:18 20th October 2009

Gabriel Idowu (Liverpool fan) says...

To be honest, I blame Reina. He shouldn't have put the ball in the beachball in the goal. It woldn't have been much effeort to enitirely remove the ball from the pitch, he could have even given it to a ball boy, they would've done it for him Although it was mad to let let the goal stand. I was quite shocked at the decision from the ref. i mean a 14 year old boy would've been able to tell the game should've been stopped for interference

Posted 11:15 20th October 2009

Barrie Jackson (Manchester United fan) says...

Whilst the kid was wrong to throw anything on the pitch, Pepe Reina has part of the blame. If it had been a coin or a cigarette lighter or a bottle I'm sure he would have brought it to the attention of the officials and the game would have been stopped.

Posted 11:11 20th October 2009

Nick Baker (Manchester United fan) says...

Just trawled through some of the genius insights on some fans forums. Some very tasteful comments left regarding the future health of the beachball thrower, you guys need to remember he's only 14!! Did you not do anything stupid at that age? He can always move to manchester if he wants. We'll give him the keys to the city!! Seriously though, some fans are talking about how the ball sat in Reinas goal for a few minutes before blowing onto the pitch. Maybe the blame lies a bit closer to home?

Posted 10:10 20th October 2009
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