REVEALED: Leeds fan who fell from Stamford Bridge upper tier is banned football hooligan — Mail 1/3/24
REVEALED: Leeds fan who fell from Stamford Bridge upper tier is banned football hooligan who was jailed for punching Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland in 2012 as Aaron Cawley, 33, recovers in hospital
Leeds fan Aaron Cawley was banned from football for six
years in 2012
Cawley's ban was lifted on appeal in 2016 but remains barred
from Leeds games
By MICHAEL PAVITT
The Leeds United supporter who fell from the upper tier of Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night is a football hooligan who was jailed for punching a former England goalkeeper in 2012, Mail Sport can reveal.
Aaron Cawley, 33, was jailed for four months and given a six-year ban from football after running on the pitch and attacking then-Sheffield Wednesday keeper Chris Kirkland during a televised match in 2012.
Mail Sport understands Cawley is recovering in hospital
after the fall, which happened as Leeds fans celebrated Mateo Joseph’s opening
goal.
Cawley's banning order was lifted in 2016 after he launched
a successful appeal.
Leeds United have confirmed that Cawley remains banned from
matches by the club following the incident, but could not confirm the name of
the supporter who fell due to patient confidentiality.
Despite his club ban, Cawley was spotted by television cameras at a Leeds match in 2016, hugging defender Pontus Jansson after he scored an equalising goal against Norwich.
Cawley had previously been banned from football for three
years when he was 16 for violence.
The 33-year-old was among the away supporters to attend
Leeds United's FA Cup fifth round tie against Chelsea on Wednesday night.
He fell into a group of fans in the bottom tier, also
containing thousands of away supporters.
Medical personnel rushed to the scene quickly, and took the
Cawley to a nearby hospital after removing him from the ground.
