On 18 September 1999 a match official at a lower‑league English football fixture was struck by a beer bottle thrown from the crowd and was rendered unconscious. The incident occurred during a period of heightened concern about crowd behaviour and spectator safety in English football, several years after the Hillsborough disaster led to major changes in stadium safety and policing. The referee was officiating a non‑top‑flight match when an object thrown from the terraces hit him on the head. Medical staff and emergency services attended the pitch; the referee was treated at the scene and transported to hospital for further assessment. Police launched an investigation to identify the person responsible and to review stewarding arrangements at the ground. Local media coverage noted that the throw appeared to come from an area where alcohol was available to spectators, and club officials said they would co‑operate with police inquiries. The assault highlighted ongoing issues at that time with pitch invasions, objects thrown from the crowd and the policing of lower‑division matches. In the years following the all‑seater reforms and other safety measures brought in after the mid‑1980s, problems persisted at some grounds, particularly in lower divisions where stewarding and crowd control resources were more limited. Incidents like the 1999 bottle assault prompted clubs, the Football Association and local authorities to discuss tighter controls on alcohol sales, improved steward training and better segregation of rival supporters. No widely published record indicates that the referee’s injuries led to long‑term disability; reporting focused on the immediate aftermath, the police response and the disciplinary implications for the club and fans. The event served as a reminder that, despite broader improvements in stadium safety, risks from individual acts of violence and hooliganism continued to require attention. It also reinforced calls from authorities and fan groups for clearer reporting channels and stronger penalties for those who endanger match officials and other spectators. Because this incident involved a lower‑profile match, detailed public records—such as court outcomes, the referee’s name or subsequent medical records—are limited in mainstream archives. Contemporary reports concentrated on the fact of the assault, the emergency response and the implications for matchday safety rather than on extensive follow‑up coverage. As a result, some specific details remain scarce in the public record beyond the basic facts of the attack, the date and the ensuing investigation. The 1999 bottle assault forms part of a broader historical pattern of incidents that informed later measures to protect officials and fans, including tougher sanctions for violent conduct, improved stewarding standards, and local policies on alcohol sales in stadiums. These measures have aimed to reduce the likelihood of objects being thrown and to ensure quicker identification and prosecution of offenders when assaults occur.