Melbourne derby abandonned, City goalkeeper has ‘likely’ concussion after being struck in head during pitch invasion

Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover is receiving medical treatment for a “likely” concussion after being hit in the head with an object by a fan during a pitch invasion.

Glover, 24, was targeted by supporters at AAMI Park during the city derby against Melbourne Victory after some ran onto the pitch in the 22nd minute of the A-League match.

Fans were seen throwing flares and bottles before one ran onto the pitch and hit Glover with a silver object.

Referee Alexander King halted the match with Melbourne City 1-0 up thanks to an 11th-minute opener by Aiden O’Neill.

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King, who was himself surrounded by supporters, later abandoned the game with Glover needing treatment in the home dressing room due to the injury he sustained during the pitch invasion.

Melbourne City tweeted: “Tom Glover is receiving medical treatment in the dressing room and likely has a concussion.”

Football Australia later released a statement saying: “Following shocking scenes during the first half of the of the A-League Men’s match between Melbourne Victory FC and Melbourne City FC at AAMI Park on Saturday 17 December, where fans from the Melbourne Victory FC end entered the field of play, Football Australia match officials have abandoned the match in accordance with Law 5.3 of the Laws of the Game in order to protect the integrity of the match.

“Such behaviour has no place in Australian Football, with a full Football Australia investigation to commence immediately, where strong sanctions will be handed down.”

Glover previously learned his trade in England with Tottenham Hotspur having been part of the north London side’s academy from 2014 to 2017.

He then played back-up to Hugo Lloris and Michel Vorm but did not make a competitive senior appearance for the Premier League club before leaving on loan in two separate spells with Central Coast Mariners and Helsingborg.

Glover left Tottenham on a permanent basis in 2019.

Melbourne City are top of Australia’s top-flight league with 16 points from seven games, while rivals Melbourne Victory are seventh with 10 points.

Melbourne City were founded in June 2009. They are owned by the City Football Group who also run the likes of Manchester City, New York City FC and Mumbai City FC.

Melbourne Victory were founded in November 2004. They finished second behind their city rivals in the 2021-22 regular season.

Victory have won the A-League Championship four times (2007, 2009, 2015 and 2018) while City have won it once (2021).

(Photo: Getty Images)