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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| 'I just wanted to get on the pitch' | 'I just wanted to get on the pitch' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| By Gavin Lee BBC Radio 5 live | By Gavin Lee BBC Radio 5 live |
| Twenty-two men are due in court on Friday over violence and disorder during a Carling Cup football match in August between West Ham and Millwall. More than a dozen men have already received bans. One of them, West Ham fan Richard Burgum, spoke to the BBC about his shame at getting involved. | Twenty-two men are due in court on Friday over violence and disorder during a Carling Cup football match in August between West Ham and Millwall. More than a dozen men have already received bans. One of them, West Ham fan Richard Burgum, spoke to the BBC about his shame at getting involved. |
| Riot police were in attendance at the match between West Ham and Millwall | |
| "It was a moment of madness. I was sitting in the crowd trying to get my opinion across. Fans were goading each other. At that moment, I just wanted to get on to the pitch and express myself." | "It was a moment of madness. I was sitting in the crowd trying to get my opinion across. Fans were goading each other. At that moment, I just wanted to get on to the pitch and express myself." |
| Richard Burgum was caught on CCTV cameras as he attempted to run past stewards to get to the area of play. | Richard Burgum was caught on CCTV cameras as he attempted to run past stewards to get to the area of play. |
| The 29-year-old claims he didn't attend the match intending to cause trouble but admits he lost control during the game. | The 29-year-old claims he didn't attend the match intending to cause trouble but admits he lost control during the game. |
| "It wasn't like I was running towards the away fans or anything like that. At the end of the day, I mean, there was alcohol in my system." | "It wasn't like I was running towards the away fans or anything like that. At the end of the day, I mean, there was alcohol in my system." |
| The game at Upton Park was widely regarded as one of the worst nights of hooliganism for years. | The game at Upton Park was widely regarded as one of the worst nights of hooliganism for years. |
| Following the incident, Burgum's image was published in newspapers in the UK and around the world. Shortly afterwards, he decided to hand himself in to police. | Following the incident, Burgum's image was published in newspapers in the UK and around the world. Shortly afterwards, he decided to hand himself in to police. |
| He has since been found guilty of pitch invasion, under the Football Offences Act 1991. | He has since been found guilty of pitch invasion, under the Football Offences Act 1991. |
| 'No hooligan' | 'No hooligan' |
| Burgum has been ordered to pay £350 in costs, banned from every British football ground during games - including England matches - for three years and has received a letter from West Ham, banning him from the club for life. | Burgum has been ordered to pay £350 in costs, banned from every British football ground during games - including England matches - for three years and has received a letter from West Ham, banning him from the club for life. |
| "I do deserve the ban in one respect and I don't in another. I mean the passion I've got for West Ham, I've been going to West Ham since I was I boy, so it's annoying. | "I do deserve the ban in one respect and I don't in another. I mean the passion I've got for West Ham, I've been going to West Ham since I was I boy, so it's annoying. |
| "To have my own kids mention it, I deserve it. But I'm not a hooligan. The people who were fighting outside were the hooligans." | "To have my own kids mention it, I deserve it. But I'm not a hooligan. The people who were fighting outside were the hooligans." |
| Many supporters who were there on the night said the clubs are right to have a zero tolerance approach to all fans that caused disruption, including those caught invading the pitch. | Many supporters who were there on the night said the clubs are right to have a zero tolerance approach to all fans that caused disruption, including those caught invading the pitch. |
| Joe Williams from the West Ham Supporters Club says fans who act like Burgum get what they deserve. | Joe Williams from the West Ham Supporters Club says fans who act like Burgum get what they deserve. |
| "My opinion is that West Ham are bang on, because these sorts of people who cause these sort of troubles running on the pitch, what they don't think about is there's a lot of children over there with their parents. | "My opinion is that West Ham are bang on, because these sorts of people who cause these sort of troubles running on the pitch, what they don't think about is there's a lot of children over there with their parents. |
| "And how I look at it is if they see people like that run on the pitch, what are they going turn out to be." | "And how I look at it is if they see people like that run on the pitch, what are they going turn out to be." |
| The repercussions of the violence during the Carling Cup match are now being widely felt. | The repercussions of the violence during the Carling Cup match are now being widely felt. |
| Both West Ham and Millwall are facing a Football Association panel in January over charges that they failed to take sufficient action to prevent trouble. | Both West Ham and Millwall are facing a Football Association panel in January over charges that they failed to take sufficient action to prevent trouble. |
| Wider consequences | Wider consequences |
| More than 45 people have so far been charged in connection with violence or disruption on the night. | More than 45 people have so far been charged in connection with violence or disruption on the night. |
| The Metropolitan Police has also published CCTV images of a number of fans still being sought. | The Metropolitan Police has also published CCTV images of a number of fans still being sought. |
| Due in court on Friday are 22 charged in connection with disruption and violence on the night. | Due in court on Friday are 22 charged in connection with disruption and violence on the night. |
| For Richard Burgum, the reality of his actions has also had wider consequences. | For Richard Burgum, the reality of his actions has also had wider consequences. |
| "The banning doesn't mean that much compared to the distress that it's caused in my life. My work has suffered. I lost one of my large customers. | "The banning doesn't mean that much compared to the distress that it's caused in my life. My work has suffered. I lost one of my large customers. |
| "A lot of people look at you and think, 'why do you want him doing the work after what he's done?'" | "A lot of people look at you and think, 'why do you want him doing the work after what he's done?'" |