FA probe Leeds pitch invasion

AFP - 29 April 2007 15:11

Leeds supporters cheer at the end of a match against Chelsea in London in 2004. English football´s ruling body the Football Association (FA) has announced it was holding an investigation into the pitch invasion by Leeds United fans at Elland Road on 28 April 2007.

LONDON (AFP) - English football's ruling body the Football Association (FA) on Sunday announced it was holding an investigation into the pitch invasion by Leeds United fans at Elland Road on Saturday.

Several hundred supporters spilled on to the pitch and forced a 30-minute delay after a late Ipswich equaliser all but sealed fallen giants Leeds' relegation from the Championship which will see them playing outside the top two tiers for the first time in their proud history.

But any fears the Yorkshire club might have had of a points reduction for the start of next season was described as highly unlikely by FA chiefs.

FA spokesman Mark Hooper said: "In the first instance it's a criminal offence to encroach on the pitch and we will be liaising with the police on that matter.

"We will be making various enquiries. We will wait to see the reports from our crowd observers and the referee's match report and will also be seeking observations from the club as to what happened.

"We will work with the relevant authorities and see if the police are taking any action.

"It's too early to say what action the FA would find appropriate, but it would be very unusual for that to be a points deduction.

"It's more likely any individual found guilty of an offence will be banned and we'd make sure the club is taking the right steps to ensure it doesn't happen again."

Referee Michael Jones and the players ran for the tunnel after a section of Leeds fans ran on to the pitch before the final whistle.

Jones brought the players back out to complete the last 60 seconds of play after stewards had managed to clear the pitch.

But the referee's decision was criticised by Ipswich manager Jim Magilton, who claimed he had feared for his players' safety.

Magilton said: "It was a shambolic but brave decision to come back out.

"I was involved in something similar at West Ham when the referee called the game off. He should have called this one off.

"It was a poor decision. The players were worried about going back out.

"If any of them had got injured or hurt, I would have been knocking on the referee's door."

With Hull clinching victory at Cardiff, Ipswich striker Alan Lee's 88th-minute equaliser at Elland Road leaves Leeds needing to overturn a goal difference of nine with Hull on the final day at Derby to survive, just six years after they appeared in the Champions League semi-finals.