Melbourne Victory vs Melbourne City match abandoned, fans storm pitch, Tom Glover hit with bin, video

The Melbourne derby has been abandoned after fans stormed the AAMI Park pitch and a bin was thrown at Melbourne City’s keeper — leaving him with a bloodied face — on a dark day for football in Australia

Saturday night’s match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory was called off just after the 20-minute mark, with a fan protest against the contrversial decision to move the A-League Men’s grand final to Sydney took an ugly, unacceptable turn.

Fans from both clubs hurled flares onto the pitch, but when City goalkeeper threw a flare back into the Victory fans area at the northern end, it sparked a wild reaction as scores of Victory fans stormed the pitch, and encircled Thomas Glover in scary scenes.

Then one Victory fan grabbed a bucket and threw it into Glover’s face, instantly cutting the City custodian’s face wide open.

It forced all the players and coaches to leave the pitch and technical area.

Glover sustained a suspected concussion and a gash on his face after being assaulted by a fan with a metal bucket.

So soon after Australian soccer was riding unprecedented highs following the incredible World Cup campaign from the Socceroos, it has sadly returned to the ‘bad old days’, plunging to new lows of fan violence.

Tensions had been building throughout the night in the wake of the Australian Professional Leagues’ decision to give the A-League grand final to Sydney for the next three years.

Fans from both clubs had mooted that they would walk out of the stadium at the 20th minute in protest of the APL decision, but nobody could have anticipated the disgraceful scenes that occurred.

The shocking scenes drew a scathing response from the football community.