MANCHESTER UNITED have branded as “thugs” the supporters whose behaviour in Tuesday’s Carling Cup tie at Barnsley has prompted an English FA investigation, and the reputation of their fans will be damaged again today when Uefa fines the club for the third time in 18 months.
While Barnsley are preparing to send United a bill running into thousands of pounds for the damage caused to the north stand at Oakwell, Uefa is holding a disciplinary hearing into a pitch invasion by a supporter at Old Trafford during the Champions League tie against Wolfsburg on September 30th.
A similar offence led to United being fined €7,000 after the second leg of the semi-final against Barcelona at Old Trafford in April 2008. The club were also fined, along with Arsenal, after missiles were thrown on the pitch and flares were lit during the second leg of last season’s semi-final. Uefa’s control and disciplinary body will take both of these incidents into account when deciding the level of the fine.
The Premier League champions then face possible sanctions from the FA after some of their supporters forced their way into a catering area at Barnsley during the half-time interval on Tuesday night, stealing money and going on the rampage after they had been refused beer.
Eight members of staff were forced to barricade themselves into a storeroom while the culprits threw bottles and other missiles at the police.
“Police officers responded by arresting three people,” a spokesman for the South Yorkshire force said. “Some of the fans who broke into the food kiosk also threw items at the Barnsley stewards.”
Later a bottle was thrown from the away end towards Michael Owen after he had scored United’s second goal in a 2-0 win that put Alex Ferguson’s team into the quarter-finals.
“The thugs who spoil the reputation of the team and fellow supporters have no place at Manchester United,” an Old Trafford spokesman said.
“The club will support strongly any actions taken should the culprits be identified and we would pursue banning orders on anyone convicted of any offence at Oakwell.”
In total eight people were arrested inside the ground, five of them United supporters and three Barnsley fans. Police in riot gear used dogs to help control the 4,000 away fans.
Two more people were arrested after the match, when they jumped on to a railway line and stopped a Barnsley to Sheffield train.
The FA will look at reports from the referee, Chris Foy, and a crowd-control adviser who was at the game before deciding whether United should be punished with a charge of failing to control their fans. This would almost certainly result in another fine.
