Rockingham City FC: Lifetime ban from all Football West matches for bottle throwing spectator

The man who pelted a glass beer bottle at players after a State soccer league match has received a lifetime ban from all Football West sanctioned matches and the host club of the match fined thousands of dollars.

Football West launched an investigation into the incident at the match between Rockingham City FC and Mandurah City FC’s men’s teams on Saturday after a man hurled a glass bottle at Mandurah City players walking off the pitch after full time.

The governing body threatened “heavy sanctions” for those involved and those penalties were dealt on Thursday when it confirmed it had issued separate sanctions to “individuals identified via the footage, including a lifetime ban for the bottle thrower”.

The entire league was also penalised, with spectators banned at several games for each of Rockingham City and Mandurah City’s Under 18s, Reserves and First Teams in the Men’s State League Division One competition.

Three Rockingham City home games in Round 7, 10 and 12, which includes this weekend’s game against Gosnells City, will be played without spectators and the threat of further fines from Football West hanging over the club’s head.

Mandurah City FC will have two home games without spectators, including its Round 8 clash with Gwelup Croatia and when Rockingham City and Mandurah City meet again in Round 17, July 22.

The Rockingham club was also fined $3000 for the lighting of a flare during Saturday’s match at Lark Hill Sporting Complex.

Rockingham City has since issued a statement via Facebook about the incident, which it said was a “thrilling day of football matches”.

“RCFC hosted Mandurah City FC last weekend for a thrilling day of football matches — attended by almost 1000 of you across the day,” the statement said.

“Unfortunately the actions of a few individuals have let down the club and its members. Those individuals will receive appropriate penalties for their actions.

“As a result of those actions RCFC have been issued a three-match spectator ban. The ban impacts Rounds 7, 10 and 12.”

Both clubs can appeal the sanctions should they choose, meaning they won’t be in force until after the appeal has been heard at tribunal.

The atmosphere at the match between the neighbouring clubs quickly turned sour when the now-banned man — believed to be a parent of a Rockingham City player — pelted a glass beer bottle at Mandurah City players as they walked off the field via the tunnels.

Footage from after the game shows the man yelling at players before another man flicks and then taps him in the side of the head before darting down the tunnels.

The spectator can then be seen hurling the beer bottle towards the man and other Mandurah players before match officials quickly intervened.

But the man jumped from the stands and charged down the tunnel, pushing through match officials attempting to hold him back.

He managed to break free and rush the tunnels before being brought back out a short time later.

The match also had been stopped earlier during play when a flare was thrown on to the pitch.

Football West has threatened further sanctions should it be made aware of any recurrences of similar behaviour, including a suspended 10 competition point deduction, further $3000 fines for the lighting of flares before, during or after a Football West match and additional spectator bans.