This former Arsenal star has recalled the time he knocked out a pitch-invading fan after being kicked during a heated derby in astonishing scenes
Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Graham Stack once knocked out a fan during a loan move(Image: In The Mixer)
Former Arsenal shot-stopper Graham Stack has reminisced about the time he floored a supporter while on loan in Belgium. The 44-year-old, who also turned out for Reading, Leeds and Barnet, was part of the legendary Invincibles squad.
Stack’s career began in the Gunners’ youth system before he embarked on an extensive professional journey, featuring in over 350 matches. He hung up his gloves in 2018 to focus on coaching and now arranges boxing bouts between fellow retired footballers.
At the age of 21, the colourful character was sent on loan to Beveren, where in 2002 he notoriously clashed with fans during a fiery game against rivals Royal Antwerp.
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Speaking on In The Mixerbrought to you by Sky Bet, Stack recalled: “It was a derby and Royal Antwerp are notorious for having a bit of a firm. We were winning the game 3-1 but I was getting hit by so many objects. I’m really close to the fence, a cast-iron fence.
“Once we went 3-1 up, I’m like, ‘Right, I’m gonna pepper a few back at them.’ So I’ve picked a few up and I thought, ‘They are not getting through this steel gate.’ It was old school. It was massive and the bars were so thick. But there were only one or two old guys stewarding the gate, which was a bit of a concern for me.
“I’ve carried on watching the game because it’s still going on. Then I saw the players turn and look at me. I thought, ‘Why are they looking at me?’ But they were obviously looking at the gate that had come through and all the supporters were coming onto the pitch.
“At this point I thought, ‘You know what, I’m working, as far as I’m concerned this is my place of work. I’m winning a game 3-1, who do they think they are to run on the pitch and start throwing punches and sticking it on me? That’s not the way it goes.’
“So at first I forgot about the football and thought if some of them are going to start throwing punches, then I’m going to throw one or two back myself.
“I was not thinking about the effects after. I was not thinking about being fined, suspended, benched or being nicked. I didn’t think of anything like that. It could have happened.
“Fortunately for me, I got so much support from the club. They actually called the game off and we were awarded the game. There were horseback police coming on the pitch, because they were prepared for it to be quite a vicious affair. There was a lot more security on the day.
“He (the fan who was punched) attempted it first. He kicked me and another one came on. There were two of them. Listen, it wasn’t my best ever punch landed, I’ve got to say, but it was enough to put him down.
“Which I was happy with because I didn’t want him getting back up. The other guy then started moonwalking backward. But what happened after that was incredible. It blew up.
“It got eyes on me a little bit. I was on loan from Arsenal, not everyone knew that. It started to attract a lot of attention. Off the back of it I didn’t face any punishment from the Belgian FA. I acted in self-defence.”
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