Rule changes needed to deal with pitch invasions – Scottish FA

Scottish football must look at adapting their rules to try and bring an end to pitch invasions from fans, says Scottish FA chief executive Ian Maxwell.

The SPFL has initiated disciplinary investigations into five fixtures where supporters encroached on the field of play, including two games in the Premiership title run in.

And an independent review into the scenes following Celtic’s Scottish Cup quarter-final win over Rangers – when supporters from both clubs rushed the pitch – is expected to deliver its findings next week.

Speaking to BBC Sport Scotland, Maxwell said that the phenomena has shifted from a rare, celebratory occasion to a more prevalent, dangerous issue.

And while entering the field of play is a criminal offence in England and Wales, it is not currently in Scotland.

“Football needs to come together to try and mitigate this,” he said. “We had meeting this week and pitch incursions were at the top of the agenda.

“We need to look at our rules – do they need amended, updated or changed? We need to work with clubs to understand what ability we all have to try and stop it.

“The police have got a role to play and the SPFL talked about legislation around criminalising coming on to the pitch and tailgating getting in the stadiums.

“That would help, but it is not something that one body’s going to fix on their own. whether it’s going to take something from the police and something from the football authorities and the clubs to eradicate it.”