A soccer referee literally ran for his life during a League One match in England on Saturday.
It happened in the 89th minute of a match between Port Vale and Portsmouth in the English third division.
A minute earlier, Colby Bishop converted a penalty to give Portsmouth a 1-0 lead.
That’s when Port Vale fans took matters into their own hands.
He ran across the field towards referee Craig Hicks.
When Hicks spotted the fan, he ran to the sideline, but security and coaches blocked the fan from getting close to him.
Fans appeared furious after Hicks awarded Portsmouth a penalty in the final minute, setting up the winning goal.
Portsmouth defender Conor Shaughnessy was shocked by what he witnessed.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. It was kind of wild. I’m glad the referees stayed out of the way and the security guys did their jobs,” Shaughnessy said. According to the Portsmouth paper.
“It’s very rare and it’s poor from that individual and I don’t think it sums up the fan base as a whole. One person has let himself down, but that’s how it should be.” Instead, whether the referee makes a good or bad decision, it should remain on the football field and there should be no interference.”
Shaughnessy thanked the referee after the game and also said, “I didn’t think he was that bad.”
Port Vale after the match Announcement regarding X:
“Port Vale Football Club condemns the actions of the individuals who entered the field of play during today’s match against Portsmouth. We will work with the relevant authorities to ensure that this matter and the individuals are dealt with in a tolerant approach. We would like to remind all supporters that entering the field is a criminal offence.”
Port Vale relocate due to defeat Dangerously close to relegation cutline They are in 20th place in League 1.
On the other hand, Portsmouth consolidated their lead at the top of the table with a two-point lead over second-placed Bolton.
