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West Ham fined 115,000 pounds for pitch invasions
January 16, 2010 09:40 IST

West Ham United have been fined 115,000 pounds by the Football Association following a pitch invasion by their fans in a League Cup tie against Millwall.

The FA said on Friday that the Premier League club had been found guilty by an Independent Regulatory Commission of breaking rules on controlling fans.

"The Club has been fined the sum of 115,000 pounds and ordered to pay adjusted costs of 5,000 pounds for the failure to ensure their supporters refrained from violent, threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour and the failure to ensure their supporters did not enter the field of play," a statement said.

West Ham and Millwall, whose fans share a bitter rivalry, were both charged following the ugly scenes in August which involved two pitch invasions by West Ham fans and violence before and during the game which West Ham won 3-1 in extra time.

One Millwall fan was stabbed and there dozens of arrests by the police after running battles broke out near a local railway station.

Millwall were cleared of the charges, a decision welcomed by the club's chief executive Andy Ambler.

"Millwall FC welcomes the verdict in respect of our club as we have always maintained that we were innocent of the charges," he told the club's website.

West Ham have 14 days to appeal.

Source: REUTERS
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