FA planning to get tough on disorder

CLUBS could face partial or even full stadium closures as the Football Association’s chairwoman Debbie Hewitt says the governing body is prepared to use the toughest possible sanctions to tackle crowd disorder.

A number of Premier League and EFL matches last season, particularly towards the end of the campaign, were marred by pitch invasions where players were assaulted.

The FA says there is alignment between the game’s authorities and the clubs that tough penalties are required to stamp out the problem.

European football’s governing body UEFA regularly imposes partial or full stadium closures on clubs whose fans are guilty of disorder but fines have been the most common sanction in England to date.

No disciplinary charges have yet been brought against clubs involved in the end-of-season disturbances but previously Birmingham were fined £42,500 by the FA when a spectator ran on to the pitch and assaulted Jack Grealish, then of Aston Villa, in a match in March 2019.

On the crowd trouble last season, Hewitt said: “It’s a worrying and ugly trend.

“The pitch is sacred and players, match officials and coaches have to be able to play in a safe environment.

“If you look at some of the footage at the end of last season it was disturbing and anything but safe for those players and for some of those fans who invaded the pitch.

“It’s a huge concern and we are working in the FA to put in place the toughest possible sanctions we can.”

She added: “I was at a session with all of the Premier League clubs a week or so ago and every club in that room was saying ‘we have to put in place tougher sanctions.’

“There was no resistance, there was complete alignment on what we need to do.

“We plan - probably the week before the new season starts - to make a statement on that.”

Asked about the possibility of stadium closures, Hewitt replied: “I’d like the strongest possible sanctions we can have.”

While the FA can sanction clubs for crowd disorder it is down to the police and clubs to impose penalties on individual fans.

Maheta Molango, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, said the football authorities could not afford to “gamble” with players’ safety.