FA investigate Bristol Rovers over keeper incident; Keith Hill feels thrown under the bus

The FA are to investigate Bristol Rovers over a keeper incident while Keith Hill feels thrown under the bus following Saturday’s game.

The majority in attendance at the Memorial Stadium were left ecstatic at seeing Joey Barton’s side securing promotion with a 7-0 win, however the club are in hot water after supporters legged it onto the field of play in the 86th minute.

Referee Charles Breakspear stopped the game when home fans ran onto the pitch after Elliot Anderson scored in the 85th minute, getting delayed for up to 15 minutes.

At 7-0 to @Official_BRFC some of the crowd burst over the barriers onto the pitch. Match paused. #BRFC #UpTheGas pic.twitter.com/CW4UAN23ox

— Cari Davies (@CariDaviesTV) May 7, 2022

Both Joey Barton and Wael al Qadi took to the microphone to plead with supporters to not go on with the ref indicating that if anyone comes onto the pitch at any point after it is restarted, then he will abandon the fixture.

After the full time whistle, Scunthorpe manager Keith Hill was asked by reporters from Radio Humberside about the invasion before being asked about whether his 17 year old keeper Owen Foster was punched with the player making some sort of indication to the referee.

“I don’t really want to talk about it. The referee’s done a report and I want to leave it with them. I don’t want to spoil what is a tremendous day for Bristol Rovers and Joey,” said Hill after the game.

“I don’t want it to be sour grapes but we have got a duty of care to our young players on the pitch and players on the pitch.

“I spoke about this less than two or three weeks ago. About the health and safety of me and my staff in my technical area during the course of the game, and with respect to what did happen, the referee is going to file a report to the FA.

“I can’t really divulge what happened [and if Foster was punched] and I don’t surmise and don’t want to comment on the actual facts, but everything will be revealed in due course,” added Hill.

Keith Hill added that Scunthorpe were hopeless, explaining: “We got a footballing lesson and there’s no doubt about that.

“I wanted them to enjoy this experience but from a footballing perspective they [Rovers] were miles better than us. They’ve done it over 46 games of the season. We haven’t.

“Because of the [transfer] embargo, it’s evident that ourselves and Oldham have been cut adrift somewhat this season.

“I hate losing and I’ve hated listening to them celebrate today. It’s not happened to me in my career before.

“We have to change the culture and make sure we breed a winning environment to turn things around,” Hill went on about his team’s own future chances if they want to return to League Two, adding that “100 per cent” he wants to remain in charge at Glanford Park.

“I want to be here, but I will not accept what I’ve had to deal with for the last six months. I will not accept the standards I’ve been presented.

“I need to be in total control of my budget, total control of player ins and outs, and then I should be judged.”

Talking with BBC Humberside, Hill accused his players of a lack of professionalism, including turning up late, and says he is ready to turn to the club’s youngsters.

“We’ve got to make sure that the club builds a squad of players that represents the supporters’ values,” he said.

“We need the young players to set the standard. And the standard – not just on the matchday pitch, but the training pitch – has been very, very poor.

“The first P of professionalism is punctuality. Proper practice. Pride. You don’t take shortcuts. If you take shortcuts you fail.

“There will be players who’ll say it’s my fault. It’s not my fault – 100% not my fault. I try to manage players with honesty. Sometimes that honesty leaves me vulnerable.

“I’m expecting the better players – players with integrity – to support me. It’s the most difficult experience I’ve ever had as a manager or as a player.

“The dynamics of the club have been terrible. When we got to January, that was an open door for players who thought they had a chance of leaving. I had players asking me on a regular basis up to January, ‘can I leave? Can I leave?’ And there were players we wanted to leave who refused to leave.”

He also felt hard done by when getting sacked by Tranmere last year, as well as at Bolton, and previous to that had spells in charge of Barnsley and Rochdale.

He came into the club who were in a desperate situation with Peter Swann going on to announce last month he was standing down as chairman.

Swann, who appointed his son Will as chief scout, has been heavily criticised by supporters, but Hill, who has overseen just two wins from his 33 games in charge, losing 22 of them, is adamant the Swanns aren’t to blame for the club’s demise.

“It’s the culmination of a lot of things and I can’t put it down to one fact,” Hill said.

“If you want me to say that it’s Peter Swann’s fault or Will Swann’s fault, I can categorically tell you 100% it isn’t.

“There’s a lot of people pushing for the finger to be pointed at the Swanns and it’s 100% not [their fault]. They’re genuine people who are still funding this club.

“The club need to show bravery. They can throw me under the bus if they want, like most clubs do – I got thrown under the bus [at Tranmere] last season and I got thrown under the bus at Bolton. You clean a club up and then you get thrown out.

“But it needs cleansing. It needs somebody like me to make sure there’s a successful future.”

Twitter users reacted as the FA investigate Bristol Rovers over an incident with the Scunthorpe keeper and Keith Hill feels he’s been ‘thrown under the bus’…

@ironboy72: Bristol rovers fans goading a 17 year old keeper…… jesus

@David43923838: @OfficialBWFC Mr Keith Hill – sour grapes and disrespectful to say the least.

@Suddyyy: Realistically, Keith talked himself out of the job long before he left. Same at Tranmere it seems.

@LancsIron: Very disappointed in him although maybe there is no ore to it. The team dosent look or play like a Hill team would. Not sure he has had control over who is available to play for a variety of reasons…

@PhilipShortland: Not a big fan but I can understand his irritation. You’ve managed 500 odd games, and it’s welcome to Kenyon and your new boss, ‘all things football’ Phoenix who can also get you around the London Underground. Undermined?

@AleBarons_: It’s never his fault is it

@aaron_bwfc: I wouldn’t exactly say he cleaned the club up, he knew the situation when he took over – albeit he has a case for not being given a crack at league 2 with us

@Sophthecatsmum: He knew the situation at BWFC at the time & (don’t get me wrong), I’m really grateful that he did despite the fact our chances of us staying up were zilch. He still did quite a decent job considering but I think he lost his job in the end coz of his outbursts in the media that caused added probs. What he said may’ve been true at the time but we were still rubble back then so were unhelpful & it seemed a

@OldManWinter999: Words can’t describe how much I hate that bald, professional loser Keith Hill. I’m as embarrassed about him managing Bolton as I was Neil Lennon. Absolutely shameful that he was even considered for the job, let alone got it. Hope he rots away in the Conference forever… #bwfc

@StemboatSociety: Keith Hill claiming he ‘cleaned us up’ when he was in charge when we finished the season 20+ points from safety is the most Keith Hill thing ever. Is it possible to sack him again the giant raving ballbag? #bwfc

@jobo901: Deluded Onions 🧅

@DNieL14817326: When a pattern like that emerges its pretty obvious what the issue is…

@Mark_cobbler: What a loser he really is

@nickcooper1974: So it’s everybody else’s fault but definitely not the Swanns or his. He can go with the Swann’s for me. Clean sweep time. 1 point adrift when he arrived. Now it’s 18 and we’ve just lost 7-0. What is he accountable for???

@stewartdoyle123: Everyone is looking for answers, when solutions are needed. A total clear out can be just as dangerous. Be careful what you wish for. A least he wants to be at Scunthorpe. I personally don’t think anyone would have saved us.