Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp was assaulted by a Nottingham Forest fan in the aftermath of their Championship play-off semi-final on Tuesday evening.
Forest beat Sheffield United on penalties at the City Ground to book their place in the play-off final against on May 29 at Wembley.
Fans stormed the pitch following Forest’s victory, while Sharp was stood in the technical area watching the celebrations.
But television cameras caught one Forest supporter running directly towards Sharp and headbutting the striker directly in the face.
Sharp, who was knocked to the ground, was left bloodied by the attack and required stitches.
Speaking about the incident, Sheffield United manager Paul Heckingbottom said the fan who assualted Sharp deserves a prison sentence.
‘What do you want me to say about that… I watch every Monday Night Football, Super Sunday, my time up in Scotland, every time I’ve been there there’s been so many people talking, seeing things thrown on the pitch, seeing fans invade the pitch, seeing things that are going to players’ health and safety in danger, and nothing’s ever done about it.
‘There will be something done about that, we’ve seen what’s happened, you know what’s happened. There’s a prison sentence there without a doubt.
‘How can you come to your place of work, minding your own business, and be assaulted in that fashion?
‘It’s bang out of order, it’s everything that’s wrong, like I say, too many times, you hear people condemn it but nothing’s done about it. We’re the ones who suffer.
‘It’s upsetting for lots of reasons, but it’ll be dealt with.’
Former Nottingham Forest defender Michael Dawson said: ‘That’s an absolute disgrace. That’s one person, we can’t condemn that.
‘That is a disgrace, too many people run on the pitch. Yes, we talked about Nottingham Forest enjoying it and having a special night, but Billy Sharp was stood there doing nothing wrong and one stupid fan runs on and does that.
‘It’s spoilt everything for this night. What Nottingham Forest have done, and that fan, I just hope Billy Sharp is okay.’
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