Burnley football players praised for sheltering young fans from crowd trouble

Burnley players sheltered young fans after crowd fights broke out. Photo / Getty

Burnley football players have been praised for sheltering young fans after crowd trouble broke out during Sunday's game.

When Sharyn Elamir took her seven-year-old son Zayn, nine-year-old nephew Aston, and their eight-year-old friend William to the game, she didn't expect the shocking scenes that followed.

Disturbances began after some West Ham supporters invaded the pitch during the 3-0 defeat to Burnley.

Crowd fights then broke out in front of the directors' box as hundreds of fans gathered to chant 'sack the board' and 'you destroyed our club,' leaving Elamir "terrified" for the children's safety.

But Burnley players Phil Bardsley, Jeff Hendrick, Sam Vokes and Dean Marney lifted the three young boys onto the bench, sheltering them from the chaos for the remainder of the game.

Elamir said she was "so grateful" for the players' help.

"A fight broke out among the West Ham supporters right behind us and more and more people kept joining in," said Ms Elamir.

"I was really shaken up but the boys were chatting away to the players and watching the game. They were unaware of the chaos going on around them."

"I was terrified and just wanted to get the boys out of the stadium. As I was pushing them towards the exit a Burnley player said 'Do you want me to put them in here?'"

After the final whistle the three young boys were also given a shirt, training jacket, and boots by the players.

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"They were absolutely thrilled. They saw themselves on Match of The Day and have watched that about a hundred times!" said Elamir.

"I'm so grateful to the Burnley players for taking control during such a frightening situation."

"It's been a lovely experience from what had been an awful day."

The BBC reported that a series of meetings have taken place since the disturbances.