‘Absolute scenes’: Wanderers hit with huge penalty for flares and pitch invasion
By Vince Rugari
Fans of the Western Sydney Wanderers have been banned from attending matches in the NSW state league for the rest of the season after the club was hit with a massive fine and points deduction for two separate incidents involving flares, fireworks and a pitch invasion.
Football NSW handed down its findings on Tuesday after an investigation into the conduct of Wanderers supporters at the two National Premier Leagues Men’s NSW matches, an away fixture against Sydney United 58 on May 5 and a home clash against Sydney Olympic a week later.
The Wanderers’ NPL match against Sydney Olympic descends into chaos.Credit: YouTube/Football NSW
The club pleaded guilty to a range of charges under Football NSW’s grievance and disciplinary regulations and have been fined $33,500 and docked six premiership points for the 2024 season, which is the equivalent of two wins.
An additional six-point penalty has been suspended for the rest of this season and the entirety of the 2025 and 2026 campaigns, to be applied in the event of further breaches, while all remaining home games this year will be played during “daylight hours” at the state federation’s direction.
Those home matches at the club’s training base in Rooty Hill will be played under ‘Restricted Entry’ conditions, which means only club officials, parents and family members, committee members and club guests will be able to attend, while the same rules will apply for all away fixtures.
Supporters of the A-League club, which fields a youth team in the NPL, are believed to have lit flares at both of the matches in question – but Football NSW moved to take firmer action after wild scenes at the second match, a rollicking 3-2 victory by the Wanderers over Sydney Olympic.
Players were ordered off the field by the referee for several minutes late in the second half after a series of loud bangs were heard coming from the stands. Footage of the match, which is still up on YouTube, then shows a thick plume of smoke wafting onto the field, with one Wanderers player displaying frustration towards the corner of the field where Wanderers fans had gathered about the contest being stopped.
“No, you’re not watching a derby in Belgrade or Zagreb or Buenos Aires, Argentina,” said the match commentator on the stream. “This is NSW NPL football at Wanderers Football Park and a flare and fireworks have gone off, momentarily stopping play.
“It’s testing my lungs, here … absolute scenes.“
Another voice in the background is heard saying: “You know what, mate? If we did this at Olympic, we’d have Channel Seven here.”
In the 93rd minute of the same match, Nathanael Blair scored a free-kick to seal victory for the Wanderers, sparking a pitch invasion, with dozens of fans – most of whom were wearing hoodies, balaclavas or ski masks – running onto the field to celebrate with the players.
Football NSW and the Wanderers were both approached for comment.
Football NSW said in a statement that the punishment reflected their “commitment to the safety of all participants” while acknowledging the club’s cooperation with their investigation. The state federation had been making weekly announcements prohibiting Wanderers fans from attending NPL fixtures since the incident in the Sydney Olympic match.