Keith Hackett urges FA to take 'no action' after Macclesfield pitch invasion vs Crystal Palace
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Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett has urged the Football Association to show restraint and take no disciplinary action against Macclesfield following the pitch invasion that followed their historic FA Cup upset against Crystal Palace. Writing in the context of Macclesfield’s sixth-tier side eliminating the holders in what has been widely described as one of the competition’s greatest shocks, Hackett frames the incident as an emotional, largely harmless outpouring of joy rather than a serious security failure.
Hackett acknowledges that a pitch invasion technically breaches regulations designed to protect players, officials and the integrity of the playing area. However, he argues that the FA should apply common sense and proportionality, stressing that the scenes at full-time were celebratory, not violent or disorderly. In his view, the governing body must distinguish between dangerous incursions driven by aggression and spontaneous fan celebrations after a once-in-a-lifetime result.
He suggests that heavy sanctions – such as fines, stadium closures or formal charges – would be unfair on a lower-league club that had carefully prepared for the tie and did not appear to suffer major breakdowns in stewarding. Instead, Hackett proposes that the FA use the incident as an opportunity for guidance rather than punishment, working with Macclesfield and similar clubs to refine crowd-management plans for high‑profile fixtures.
Hackett also warns against setting a precedent where every emotional pitch celebration triggers severe disciplinary action, arguing that this would risk alienating supporters and eroding one of the FA Cup’s defining qualities: the close, passionate connection between clubs and their communities. Ultimately, he hopes the FA issues, at most, a reminder of responsibilities while publicly recognising the exceptional nature of the occasion and the overwhelmingly positive spirit in which the pitch invasion took place.