EFL matches sees linesman struck by objects, flares on pitch and seats ripped out by fans

Saturday afternoon’s batch EFL matches sees linesman struck by objects, flares on the pitch and seats ripped out by fans.

English football was heavily marred this weekend after trouble played out in the stands at games in the Championship and League One.

It comes just days after the Premier League say they will speak to the Football Association, the English Football League and the police amid a rise in incidents of crowd trouble.

Arrests at football matches across the top five English leagues are at their highest levels in years and the UK’s football policing lead has said fan disorder is “getting worse”.

On the 29th of January, flares were thrown onto the pitch and seats were ripped out by a section of West Brom fans are emotions spilled over during a 2-0 defeat at The Den.

“If you can’t tolerate your side losing, you’re not a football fan – don’t go to games, just stop it!!” 😤

Jeff Stelling reacts after Millwall vs West Brom was stopped for a second time… pic.twitter.com/0edMuUwfOi

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) January 29, 2022

Play was stopped in West Brom’s game on three occasions when flares were thrown from the away end – following chants aimed towards under-pressure boss Valerian Ismael.

“Just stop it,” Stelling slammed the supporters.

“If you can’t tolerate your side losing, you’re not a football fan – don’t go to games, you’re idiots. Just stop it!

“It’s ridiculous, and we’ve seen several incidences of it today as well.

“We can’t afford to go back to the bad old days, can we? Where things like this happen all the time.”

Gates were kept closed around the away end and a heavy police presence guarded both sides of the away stand following full time.

Staff kept in mind the trouble that played out in Millwall’s FA Cup game against Crystal Palace a few weeks back.

Play was also stopped at QPR after Reading fans threw a flare onto the pitch and demanded for their manager Veljko Paunovic, who insists he will keep fighting to fix things, to be sacked following the 4-0 loss.

Royals suffered their fifth successive league defeat in west London and after the game, Paunovic said: “Overall, it was poor. The result is not good. I must say, between all the goals, we played well.

“Individual mistakes and mistakes as a group sometimes cost us the three goals in the first half but definitely shook us up.”.

On his future: “I’m not concerned about my future. I’m a professional who looks to fix things and give my best.”

Break in play as Reading fans set off a blue flare while chanting “We want Pauno out, we want Pauno out…”#readingfc pic.twitter.com/eC4TtyQuGS

— Benjy Nurick (@BenjyNurick) January 29, 2022

In a game which saw Michael Smith score twice as Rotherham went back to the top of League One with a 2-0 win at lowly Crewe, there was a lengthy hold-up in play after a linesman appeared to be hit by a missile.

Then came the incident involving the linesman close to where the Rotherham fans were situated, with Millers player Richard Wood going over to talk to the supporters.

Rotherham United say they “are very disappointed to have learned of an incident involving an alleged missile being thrown at an official during our League One encounter with Crewe Alexandra on Saturday.

“Having discussed the matter with colleagues at Crewe, reports suggest that a member of the away crowd has been guilty of throwing a missile towards the referee’s assistant which resulted in the affected official having to be replaced on the touchline.

“The Club will now investigate the matter with the help of our colleagues at Crewe Alexandra, and will look to identify and punish the individual in question.

“We are embarrassed to once again be releasing a statement regarding the behaviour of a small minority of our supporters, who are not representative of the majority, or of us as a football club.”

A referee had to also briefly stopped another League One game due to an offensive chant from MK Dons fans targeting Wycombe substitute Adebayo Akinfenwa; a tannoy announcement imploring away fans to stop seemingly had no effect; then the game was paused and Akinfenwa angrily remonstrated with the away fans, see more on that HERE.

Twitter users reacted as EFL matches sees a linesman struck by objects, flares thrown on the pitch and seats ripped out by fans…

@lindseyxrufc: We’ve always had a great reputation of being a well run family club and barely ever have any trouble so what’s with the last couple of away matches? Can’t understand it 😑 sat top of the league.. it really is beyond me. Just go to the bloody match, enjoy, come home. 🤷🏻‍♀️ #rufc

@LiamGould1998: Embarrassing from our fans! We all hate how we are playing but to throw flares and chair and being thugs is not to way to go!

@bigbirdnatalie: Happening every home game now! Away fans getting in throwing flares onto the pitch. It’s not clever

@JSPrice_media: @SoccerSaturday reporting of disorderly fans from different games. @JeffStelling right to warn that we don’t want to go back to the ‘dark days’ where hooliganism was rife. With fans being away for so long during lockdowns, last thing we want is more games behind closed doors.

@Rakpenguin63: I’m with Jeff on this. If you can’t handle the losses, you shouldn’t support any team!

@Baggiebhoy1986: Take note dickheads

@WednesburyWolf1: Scum #wba you tell em Jeff!

@HalesowenBaggie:
Spot on Jeff, pure thuggery
and they are not true #wba fans

@Nick_wba_70: As angry as I am at the moment whoever is responsible needs banning for life #wba

@lukesellers98: Jeff Stelling just summed it up perfectly “If you can’t tolerate your football team losing , you’re not a football fan, you’re idiots” A few need to take note 👍🏻🇾🇪 #MUFC