Sheff Utd stars Oli McBurnie and Rhian Brewster charged by police after Championship semi-final play-off pitch invasion
McBurnie #McBurnie
SHEFFIELD UNITED’S Rhian Brewster and Oli McBurnie have been charged by the police following the ugly play-off semi-final scenes at Nottingham Forest.
Blades striker Billy Sharp was headbutted by a fan after Forest supporters invaded the City Ground pitch having clinched a place at Wembley on penalties.
2
Oli McBurnie has been charged by Nottinghamshire PoliceCredit: PA 
2
Blades striker Brewster has also been chargedCredit: PA
Brewster and McBurnie were also filmed in an altercation with a supporter on the pitch.
Both “strenuously deny” the charges having voluntarily engaged in interviews with Nottinghamshire Police.
Season ticket holder Robert Biggs, 30, pleaded guilty in May to assault and occasioning actual bodily harm to Sharp.
He was jailed for 24 weeks.
Sharp was knocked to the ground and required four stitches to his lip.
And Forest said they will ban Biggs for life, while he was also handed a 10-year football banning order.
In a statement Sheffield United said: “We are disappointed to learn that Rhian Brewster and Oli McBurnie have been charged.
“Both players voluntarily engaged in interviews with Nottinghamshire Police in the aftermath of the fixture which saw their team-mate, Billy Sharp, the victim of assault in the chaos which followed the final whistle.
“Brewster and McBurnie strenuously deny the charges brought against them and football manager Paul Heckingbottom, who wrote letters to the League Managers’ Association, the Professional Footballers’ Association, the EFL and FA following a number of pitch invasions last month, including one involving Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, is continuing discussions with key stakeholders in a bid to better protect players and staff in their place of work.”
Biggs’ defence solicitor said he had handed himself in to police after seeing video footage of the attack on social media.
They added that Biggs had drunk “a quantity of alcohol” and “just followed” two friends on to the pitch.