Oli McBurnie allegedly treaded on the Nottingham Forest supporter after a Championship semifinal playoff loss
Police have opened an investigation after a Sheffield United and Scotland striker was accused of “stamping” on an opposition fan on Tuesday night.
Footage has emerged of Oli McBurnie in a brush with fans during a pitch invasion after his team lost their Championship semifinal playoff tie to Nottingham Forest on penalties at the City Ground.
In the clip seen over 2 million times where McBurnie appears to land a foot on the grounded punter, a home supporter can be heard saying: “the Sheffield United player just stamped on him.”
“We have been made aware of a video circulating on social media showing a possible altercation where a Forest fan can be seen on the ground following the play-off semi-final,” said Nottinghamshire Police Inspector Andy Wright, before confirming: “We have now started an investigation into this incident.”
“The person in question has not yet reported the incident but [we] would urge them to come forward along with any other persons who may have witnessed the incident or have video footage so we can establish the full circumstances,” Wright went on. “We would particularly appeal to the owner of the original footage to make contact.”
A video’s been posted which appears to show Oli McBurnie fighting with a fan after last night’s Play-off semi-final. pic.twitter.com/WJyURoeAgo
— The Second Tier (@secondtierpod) May 18, 2022
While McBurnie is yet to respond to the allegations directly, he has ‘liked’ or replied to at least three Twitter posts where people have defended his corner.
In one, Sheffield United’s assistant kit man Adam Geelan wrote: “Fan illegally enters the pitch provokes and tries to push Rian [Brewster]. He defends himself and the kid falls on Oli’s broken foot. [You] can clearly see there’s no stamp, [what a] ridiculous post especially when stewards and police were stood there watching it happen and [we were] left to ourselves to defend.”
Fan illegally enters the pitch provokes and tries to push Rian hee defends himself and the Kid falls on Oli’s broken foot can clearly see there’s no stamp,ridiculous post especially when stewards and police were stood there watching it happen and was left to ourselfs to defend https://t.co/LOxNDokFAa
— ajg (@Geelan_goo) May 18, 2022
“Wish that Oli McBurnie video was in full context – looks more like he was trying to step over him with one bad leg! Could be wrong!” read another, which McBurnie replied to with a ‘100’ emoji.
“Are we looking at the same ?!” someone else asked to McBurnie’s approval. “Because i can’t see a foot stamping on anyone in this pic?!”
Wish that @oli_mcburnie video was in full context – looks more like he was trying to step over him with one bad leg! Could be wrong!
— Laura 🔴⚪️⚔️ (@Elljayfish) May 18, 2022
Wish that @oli_mcburnie video was in full context – looks more like he was trying to step over him with one bad leg! Could be wrong!
— Laura 🔴⚪️⚔️ (@Elljayfish) May 18, 2022
Should police enquiries advance further, this wouldn’t be McBurnie’s first brush with the law.
In 2020, he was banned from the road for 16 months and handed a £28,500 ($35,300) fine for drink driving, and also given an FA warning in January that year for appearing to make a rude gesture towards Cardiff City fans while in the away end cheering on Swansea City during the South Wales derby.
In May last year, McBurnie was arrested after a video circulated on social media appearing to show him attacking a man in the street who suffered facial injuries, and he later received a penalty notice and police caution as did his victim.
Premier League star McBurnie ‘arrested after punching and kicking man’ but new footage ‘shows footballer being taunted’
Yet while neither Sheffield United nor Nottingham Forest have commented on his incident from Tuesday night, it is the second from the pitch invasion to have become the subject of a police investigation.
Also this week, Nottinghamshire Police arrested a 31-year-old man for appearing to headbutt McBurnie’s teammate and captain Billy Sharp in the moments after Forest won the shootout.
Addressing the alleged attack on Twitter, Sharp lamented “one mindless idiot who ruined an unbelievable night of football.”
“Congratulations to Nottingham Forest on their victory and good luck in the final. As an ex-Forest player I will not let one scumbag ruin my respect for the Forest fans,” Sharp vowed, while also stressing he was “incredibly proud to be captain of this group of Sheffield United players.”
“They gave their all and can hold their heads up high. We will be back and go again. Thanks for all your messages and support after the incident,” the veteran concluded.
Fan and player trouble aside, Forest will now try and guarantee Premiership football for the first time in 24 years by beating Huddersfield in the play-off final at Wembley on May 29.
