Brentford report fan to police after rugby ball is kicked onto the pitch from high-rise flat during Liverpool defeat

· DailyMail

Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium is bordered by a jungle of high-rise apartment blocks and while nobody appeared to get injured, the ball did land near the field of play.

Brentford have reported a fan to the police after he kicked a rugby ball from a rooftop into their stadium during their 2-1 defeat by Liverpool on Saturday.

The club highlighted the 'dangerous and potentially harmful' behaviour after footage of the misdemeanour went viral on social media.

Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium is bordered by a jungle of high-rise apartment blocks and while nobody appeared to get injured, the ball did land near the field of play and had to be confiscated by a member of staff.

The ball is believed to have been kicked from the luxury Memento Kew Bridge apartment complex, where flats can cost as much as £37,860 per year to rent.

Each of the 487 apartments has its own private balcony and many offer VIP views of the state-of-the-art stadium.

A club statement read:

> 'Brentford are aware of an incident involving an item being kicked from a height towards the field of play during Saturday’s match against Liverpool. > > 'Such behaviour is dangerous and potentially very harmful. > > 'The matter has been referred to the police and the club are supporting the relevant authorities in their investigation to help identify those responsible and take appropriate action, which may result in criminal prosecution. > > 'The matchday safety of fans, staff, players and officials is of utmost importance, and the club will support all efforts to ensure action is taken.'

Rugby union club London Irish did play at the stadium between 2020 and 2023 before their suspension from the Premiership due to financial trouble, but this latest intervention at the weekend was rather unexpected.

Brentford were leapfrogged by Liverpool on Saturday as the visitors completed a comeback victory.

The hosts were 1-0 up against Liverpool after Keane Lewis-Potter's header but Yehor Yarmolyuk's red card for a headbutt on Jeremy Jacquet on the stroke of half-time changed the game.

Liverpool got level thanks to in-form winger Victor Munoz before Alexander Isak scored his fifth goal of the season on his return from injury.

Brentford sit sixth in the Premier League and are pushing for Europe after a strong first season under manager Keith Andrews which saw them finish ninth.

It is an ambitious era for them under owner Matthew Benham and they have a tidy £71million, 17,250-capacity stadium in west London which opened in 2020.

The flats around them have been in the news before - in 2024, singer Noemi Oberhauser revealed how men were asking her on dates simply so they could visit her address and watch the football from the window.

> 'I have quite a few people messaging me on Instagram about the apartment,' Oberhauser told What's The Jam. > > 'Mostly offering to come to watch the match with me and turning it into a little date. > > 'A lot also comment saying things like "Marry me". So, it is quite funny.'

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