A football fan has been jailed for five months after pleading guilty to assaulting Sheffield United captain Billy Sharp during the Championship play-off semi-final at the City Ground on Tuesday, May 17.
Sharp, who once played for Nothingham Forest, was targeted by Robert Biggs, 30, as he celebrated following the home side’s victory in a dramatic penalty shootout.
Sharp had to be stitched after the violent assault, but still sent a classy message to fans of his former club.
‘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” He posted on Twitter.
‘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 Forest fan who has now pleaded guilty to assaulting Billy Sharp, arrived at Nottingham Magistrates Court via prison van earlier on Thursday, May 19 and was handed five months imprisonment.
Sheffield boss, Paul Heckingbottom, responding to the assault said: ‘How can you come to your place of work, minding your own business, and be assaulted in that fashion?
‘It’s bang out of order, it’s everything that’s wrong, like I say, too many times, you hear people condemn it but nothing’s done about it. We’re the ones who suffer.
‘It’s upsetting for lots of reasons, but it’ll be dealt with.’
