Source: Daily_Mail
Angry Birmingham promise to ban hooligan fans after violence against Aston Villa in Carling Cup
The FA will consult their crowd control advisers before deciding whether to charge Birmingham over trouble that erupted after they beat Aston Villa in the Carling Cup on Wednesday.Flares were thrown and seats broken after Birmingham fans raced on to the pitch following the hosts' 2-1 victory, taking the gloss off City's achievement of reaching their first Carling Cup semi-final in nine years. Flame thrower: a flare is hurled as last night's derby is marred by disturbancesafter the final whistleAn FA spokesman said: 'We whollycondemn the actions of any individuals who have been involved in thescenes of disorder at St Andrew's. 'We urge the clubs and authoritiesto identify any individuals involved in disorder and impose thestiffest available sanctions, including banning orders. On the pitch: hundreds of City fans ran on to the turf at the final whistle to taunt the away supporters 'The FA will fully investigate the matter in conjunction with the appropriate authorities.' Birmingham launched an immediateinvestigation and held talks yesterday with security officials fromVilla and West Midlands Police to identify troublemakers. Flame thrower: A fan hurls a flare onto the pitchDespite the scenes at the finalwhistle, there is no suggestion that the semi-final second leg againstWest Ham next month will be played behind closed doors. Police line: Villa supporters tore up seats and hurled them at the home fans But if Birmingham are found guiltyof not having taken adequate security measures, they can expect a finein line with that handed down to West Ham last season following troubleagainst Millwall in thesame competition. On that occasion, the Hammers werehit to the tune of £115,000 and the FA now deploy advisers athigh-profile fixtures to liaise with clubs and the police. Face off: Birmingham fans confront police on the pitch Nearly 500 police were on duty in and around St Andrew's and they arrested seven people. A Birmingham statement read: 'Aswell as identifying and punishing any troublecausers the club is alsodetermined to maintain the family friendly atmosphere inside thestadium that only a couple of years ago saw the club win football'sFamily Excellence Award. 'Anyone who threatens to derail Birmingham City's ethos of welcoming families to the stadium is notwelcome and actions like those of certain individuals on Wednesday night will not be tolerated.' Net pains: Broken seats litter the goalmouth after the match at St. Andrew's FA and police probe violence in derby between Birmingham and Aston VillaBirmingham derby marred by violence as Blues dump rivals Villa out of Carling Cup Birmingham 2 Villa 1: Towering Zigic is up for the cup, firing hosts into last fourASTON VILLA FC