O'Leary furious

Cardiff could face penalty for FA Cup crowd trouble

Fans carry chairman Sam Hamman after Cardiff's FA Cup win. Stu Forster/Getty Images/Allsport

LONDON (AP) -- Cardiff City's thrilling victory over Premier League leader Leeds United had all the giant-killing magic of the FA Cup. It was marred by another English soccer tradition -- crowd violence.

Division two Cardiff came from behind to topple the star-studded Leeds lineup 2-1 at its Ninian Park stadium to write another chapter in the 130-year history of the world's most prestigious domestic club competition.

But referee Andy D'Urso was struck by a coin and the home fans threw other items at the Leeds players.

And a section of the 22,000 sellout crowd broke off from the celebrations at the end of the game to taunt the Leeds followers and police, some of them mounted, baton charged them to keep the two sets of fans apart. Four fans were arrested.

Cardiff is almost certain to face sanctions while owner Sam Hammam is confident he will escape trouble for spending the last few minutes behind the Leeds goal. Although Leeds manager David O'Leary said it could have incited the fans, Hammam said he had written authority from the Football Association to stand there.

The crowd violence almost certainly will be in the referee's report and that means that the Football Association can take action against the division two club with the possibility of closing its ground for a number of games. It could even kick them out of the competition.

"We've got to wait for the referee's report and the report from the police before we decide what to do," FA spokesman Paul Newman said.

"There could be sanctions against the club if it is deemed they did not stop the crowd being safe and from going on to the pitch."

Because Cardiff is in Wales, the Football Association of Wales could also take action against the club. The FAW announced it would team up with its English counterpart in an investigation into the violence which was a grim reminder of the ugly scenes of the 1970s and '80s.

Leeds manager O'Leary was furious with the behavior not only of the fans but also of Hammam and confronted the Cardiff owner after the game.

"I thought we had banished from football grounds such disgraceful behavior," he said of the crowd trouble. "The amount of bottles and everything else that were thrown on to the pitch was particularly disgraceful.

"Nigel Martyn, what he was getting thrown at him all through the game was horrific.

"We want passion from fans, but it is scandalous the fact that bottles and other things were thrown," O'Leary said. "The FA have got to look at this.

"I am not making excuses [about the defeat], but you cannot have that sort of thing going on. I'm not saying what should happen; I'm just making a point because somebody could get very badly hurt."

According to BBC radio, an hour after the game, O'Leary was involved in a furious exchange with Hammam over his actions and the two had to be separated by Leeds owner Peter Ridsdale.

Several minutes before the end of the game with the score tied at 1-1, the often outrageous Cardiff owner, who also had a colorful spell when he was in charge of Wimbledon, left his seat to stand behind the Leeds goal.

"Sam said he had a letter giving him authority to walk around the pitch," the Leeds manager said. "Good luck to him, but I think it's wrong. I don't think he helped the atmosphere. A football chairman shouldn't do that."

Hammam denied he was trying to cause trouble.

"I always go behind the goalmouth," he said. "That is part of my tradition. That is where I like to stand. I was not inciting the crowd.

"I am entitled to do it and I have the written permission of the Football Association. He [O'Leary] is saying he is not happy with me walking in front of fans. But, when we went 2-1 up, I did not to offend the Leeds fans and walked round the other way.

"If you are trying to cheer the crowd what is wrong with that -- as long as I am not inciting violence, which I was not? There was no crowd invasion. There was a pitch celebration after the final whistle," Hammam said. "This is a football tradition, and long may it continue.

"They came after the game to celebrate, and we want this to continue," Hammam said. "Some of them started taunting the Leeds fans, but taunting is part of the game as well."

He said he would accept the FA's punishment and would ban any fans who were caught throwing objects on the field.

"If we have done something guilty that requires ground closure and it is in the game's interest then that is it," the Cardiff owner said.

"After the final whistle people came onto the pitch to celebrate and, by and large, this is what our fans were doing.

"The only thing that we take great exception to but there was nothing that the police or out security could have done about and this is this is people throwing objects," Hammam said.

"Anybody we catch red handed I assure you we will ban him for life."

Related information
Stories
Leeds humbled as Man Utd recovery stuns Villa
Multimedia
Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.