Jack Grealish attack: Man charged after player assaulted during football match
Written by News on 11/03/2019
A man has been charged over an attack on a football player during a match in Birmingham.
Paul Mitchell, 27, of Rubery, was charged with invading the pitch and assaulting Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish.
He has been remanded in custody to appear at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday.
Grealish, 23, was punched in the side of the head from behind less than 10 minutes into the match against Birmingham.
The suspect was restrained by stewards as other Villa players tried to intervene.
Despite the assault, Grealish went onto score the winner in the derby, the second time the teams have met this season.
He later said it was “best day of his life”, writing on Instagram: “The cream always rises.”
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith said Grealish was “okay” after the incident, but was critical of the security arrangements at the ground.
“It shouldn’t happen, the security should have been better,” he told Sky Sports Football.
Birmingham City FC said in a statement: “What happened has no place in football or society. Jack is a Birmingham lad and regardless of club allegiance should not have been subjected to this – there are no excuses.”
Players’ body the Professional Footballers’ Association has called for a full inquiry into the incident.
It was one of two pitch invasions at major football matches on Sunday afternoon, the other taking place during Manchester United’s clash against Arsenal.
A man was arrested on suspicion of common assault and pitch invasion after a spectator ran onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium before pushing United and England defender Chris Smalling.
The Metropolitan Police said a man was taken into custody at a north London police station.
(c) Sky News 2019: Jack Grealish attack: Man charged after player assaulted during football match
