Rugby ball kicked from a tower block into the stadium: Brentford call in the police

During Brentford’s home defeat by Liverpool on Saturday, a man was filmed kicking a rugby ball from a flat in a tower block next to the Gtech Community Stadium. The ball reached the ground: the clip has passed 3 million views on social media, according to RMC Sport. Nobody was hurt.

Up to criminal prosecution

In a statement issued on Monday, the club describe “an object launched from above towards the pitch” during the Liverpool match, behaviour Brentford call dangerous and potentially very harmful. “The matter has been brought to the attention of the police and the club is supporting the relevant authorities with their investigation to help identify those responsible and take appropriate action, up to and including criminal prosecution,” Brentford write, adding that the safety of supporters, staff, players and officials on matchdays is “of paramount importance”.

So Foot describe a man “clearly not very interested in the Brentford-Liverpool going on in front of him”, whose face is “clearly visible in the video evidence of the crime”: identifying him should not take long.

A ground hemmed in by tower blocks

The Gtech Community Stadium sits in a residential corner of London’s suburbs, with neighbouring towers looking into the ground. On where the ball finished, the accounts differ: RMC Sport writes that it struck the roof of a stand before bouncing towards the pitch; So Foot have it ending “on the roof”. Both agree the ball fell during the match and touched nobody.

On the pitch, the story ends with the score: beaten 1-2 by Liverpool, Brentford surrendered their unbeaten run. Sixth in the Premier League, they travel to Hull City on Sunday. For the bettor, the affair stays in the stands: it does not show up in any price.