‘Lifetime bans aren’t enough’ – Calls for pitch invasions to stop and protection for players as Billy Sharp left needing stitches after shocking incident at Nottingham Forest’s play-off semi-final win over Sheffield United

talkSPORT pundits have called for pitch invasions to stop and stricter punishments for 'thug' fans after Sheffield United striker Billy Sharp was left needing stitches after shocking scenes at the City Ground.

Nottingham Forest booked their place in the Championship Play-Off final with a win over the Blades, but the evening was overshadowed by an ugly incident after the game.

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Footage shared on social media shows one pitch invader running at the 36-year-old Sharp - the former Forest striker and current Sheffield United captain - and knocking him to the ground.

A 31-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of assault, while Forest vowed to ban the culprit for life.

Aston Villa hero Agbonlahor recalled an incident when playing against rivals Birmingham where he feared for his safety, and he called for more protection for players.

“I remember we played Birmingham City in the Carling Cup and they beat us at their place,” he told talkSPORT Breakfast.

“I could see that fans getting ready to run on the pitch. I’m on the opposite side to the tunnel.

“I’m thinking, having scored so many goals against them, if I get caught on this pitch they will probably pick me up and throw me around for a couple of hours before the police could save you.

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“Literally the whistle went and I don’t think I sprinted as fast. Down the tunnel, just before the fans could get to me.

“You don’t know what fans are going to do. That’s the problem. Sometimes it might even be the player who plays for the team the fans are coming on for. 

“It doesn’t mean that if you play for, for instance Nottingham Forest, every fan is going to love you.

“You might have upset a fan. It is very dangerous. They need to put more stewards, police and maybe more punishment for fans to get on the pitch.

“You could stop them. I feel like it’s become a thing where ‘just let the fans on, it’s a big occasion’, but it need to stop.”

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Former Crystal Palace, Plymouth Argyle and Blackpool manager Ian Holloway was also quick to condemn the ugly scenes as he joined talkSPORT Breakfast show to have his say.

And he insisted lifetime bans aren't strong enough punishment.

He said: “You can never stop people. I know there is more good in the world than bad, but that fella, whoever has done it, any fan who wants to do that and there are an awful lot of them - the so-called thugs - we can’t seem to shake that off.

“Nobody in football wants that. Football is about playing the game and being courteous if you lose, not beating someone up or attacking someone, particularly with cowardice like that one last night. Billy wasn’t even looking. He didn’t have a chance to protect himself.

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“Unfortunately these cowards should be locked up, not just given lifetime bans, I think we’ve got to go further and look into the organisations behind these so-called thugs in football.

“They are still out there, they still meet up with each other and they still do something like that. I don’t think Nottingham Forest can do any more than identify him, get rid of him and don’t allow him to come to matches again. But as a society we need to hunt them down and the consequences have to be shockingly bad so it stops them doing it!

“I don’t understand, he should be celebrating with his other fans and players.”