Source: Daily_Mail
Steve Bruce lauds fans for handing over pitch invader
Steve Bruce praised the Sunderland fans who handed over to police the pitch invader who confronted Newcastle keeper Steve Harper during this afternoon's derby clash. [LNB]The supporter ran from behind the goal and appeared to push the 35-year-old to the ground in the immediate aftermath of Asamoah Gyan's injury-time equaliser as the Black Cats snatched a face-saving draw at the Stadium of Light. [LNB] Why? Bruce hit out at the pitch invader who appeared to push Harper over[LNB]There were ugly scenes after the final whistle too as rivals fans hurled seats at each other, and the FA were on Sunday night awaiting referee Howard Webb's report. [LNB]Webb was quick to spot the earlier incident and make sure stewards and police knew who the alleged offender was, and Bruce was quick to condemn the intruder's actions. [LNB]The Black Cats boss said: 'All I saw was Steve Harper on the floor. I didn't know what had happened at the time. [LNB]'I would like say a "well done" to the Sunderland fans who gave the kid up - and he is a kid, that's what I can't understand either, the age of the lad. [LNB] Emotions running high: Gyan scored an injury-time equaliser against the Toon[LNB]'But the Sunderland fans gave him up, and rightly so. He's in police custody as we speak. [LNB]'The one thing we are up here, we love the football and the passion and all the rest of it, but you don't need to see any scenes like that. [LNB]'hope they ban the kid for a long, long time because he deserves it. 'When I saw the age of him, I just really can't understand society today. What goes through his mind when we have just scored with a minute to go? [LNB]Perfect start: Nolan is mobbed after opening the scoring [LNB]'Why the hell he has got to come on to the pitch and confront Steve Harper baffles me. [LNB]'When you see the age of this young kid, it is quite remarkable how has got that in his mind, to run on to the pitch. [LNB]'Why don't you just celebrate with 50-odd thousand like everybody else did? [LNB]'Unfortunately, it is a sad indictment of where we are with the youth of today. 'He's a kid. It's ridiculous.' [LNB]Newcastle manager Alan Pardew also voiced his disapproval, but was happy that Harper had not suffered any injury in the incident. [LNB]He said: 'When you get a last-minute goal in a derby match, there is going to be an over-reaction from everybody, perhaps, you could argue. [LNB]'That particular fan, that shouldn't happen, as we know. He got over-exuberant. 'I think he pushed him [Harper] in the back. I don't think there was anything malicious about it.[LNB]'I don't really want to harp on about the incident towards the end of the game. When you get a last-minute goal like that, passions are running high and people have to control themselves. [LNB]'That is, of course, out of our control, but the two sets of players conducted themselves well, and that's what we will take from the game. [LNB]'Harps said he barged him in the back. When I first saw it, I thought it was an uglier incident, if I am honest. [LNB]'I didn't look a good incident, but I don't think it was that bad in terms of hurting Harps or anything. No punch or anything like that was thrown.'[LNB] We deserved to win! Last-gasp Gyan strike leaves Pardew feeling deflated Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1: Gyan leaves it late to deny Magpies derby doubleSunderland hope former Foreign Secretary Miliband can help the club to go global SUNDERLAND FC
