Pitch invasion won´t affect FIFA vote: McLeish

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish believes England’s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup bid will not be affected despite the “Dark Age” scenes of a pitch invasion after his side’s League Cup win over city rivals Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Just 24 hours before officials at world football governing body FIFA vote in Zurich on which countries will stage the next two World Cups, the invasion was an untimely reminder for England 2018 bid chiefs of the kind of scenes that were once an all-too common feature of English matches.

Extra police had been hired for the match but could not stop some thousand fans pouring onto the pitch following Birmingham’s 2-1 quarter-final win over arch-rivals Villa at St Andrew’s, with missiles being thrown.

The invading Birmingham fans confronted Villa supporters in the Gil Merrick Stand, with dozens of seats ripped up and a flare was thrown back and forth between the rival groups.

“I’m disappointed by that side of things,” McLeish told Sky Sports of the pitch invasion.

“Fans shouldn’t come on to the pitch at any time. It soured it a bit for us.

“I don’t think that will affect the World Cup bid, I’m sure that’s already decided, and let’s hope England gets it because it deserves it,” the Scot added.

“It doesn’t look good though, when you see fans running on the pitch like that and carrying on. It takes us back to the Dark Ages.”

A spokesman for the Football Association (FA), the English game’s governing body, promised stiff penalties for those found guilty of invading the pitch.

“We wholly condemn the actions of any individuals who have been involved in the scenes of disorder at St Andrew’s this evening,” the spokesman said.

“The FA abhors acts of violent behaviour and we urge the clubs and authorities to identify any individuals involved in disorder, and impose the stiffest available sanctions, including banning orders.

“The FA will fully investigate the matter in conjunction with the appropriate authorities.

“The whole of English football has worked hard to eradicate scenes of disorder from our game, with Home Office (Interior Ministry) figures this week showing a significant drop in arrests at the many thousands of football matches held every week, the majority of which still pass trouble free.”

Villa assistant manager Gary McAllister added: “Before the game there were lots of meetings between the police, players and management groups saying the world was watching the game because of what is happening tomorrow (the World Cup draw).

“We were aware of the trouble because the fans were running past us as we came off the pitch.

“But I don’t think it will affect England’s World Cup bid. It is an outstanding bid for the World Cup.”