Things have turned utterly sour during the ongoing fourth-round FA Cup tie between West Brom and Wolverhampton Wanderers. Players from both sides had to be taken off the field in the 82nd minute, with the referees forced to stop the game. Based on the emerging footage, a fight broke out amongst the home and away fans before it spilled into the field. With Wolves leading the game 2-0, it has been reported that a group of fans lost their calm, resulting in a fight between the two sets of supporters.

The ground authorities and police were forced to intervene as things grew heated. The incident happened minutes after Matheus Cunha scored the second goal for Wolves, which saw the away fans erupt in joy. It did not go down well with the home fans at the Hawthorns Stadium, who reportedly took out their frustration on their local rivals. [Trigger Warning: The following footage contains visuals of blood that may be triggering for some individuals]

In the first match between West Brom and Wolves in front of fans since 2012, both sets of supporters got physical during the dying minutes, forcing the officials to suspend the game as the players rushed towards the tunnel. As reported by The Sun, ITV commentator Sam Matterface said, “There are a few Wolves fans that might well have ended up in the home end.” Watching the police intervene, he added, “This is exactly the kind of thing we didn’t want to see. Derby day passion is great. Derby day intensity is great, but this sort of overspill is not acceptable in any sense.“

According to emerging footage, multiple individuals were hurt during the brawl, with medical staff escorting fans covered in blood. West Brom star Kyle Bartley was also seen carrying a young child to safety away from the brawl. The fight reportedly broke out close to the friends and family section, forcing players to check up on their close ones. Not only that. One of the players on the pitch could’ve potentially gotten injured as well.

The incident also saw an undisclosed fan chuck a firework towards Wolves’ star Matt Doherty. However, the projectile hit a ball boy who had to be quickly treated by the medical professionals present on the scene. According to reports, the match authorities were aware of a potential breakout during the game and had 250 riot police on standby to subdue the violent crowd.

The match officials restarted the game after a 35-minute delay that saw Wolves take the win and punch their ticket into the next round of the prestigious tournament. However, the side will surely be disappointed with what happened during the game, with multiple players from both teams opting to be substituted following the suspension. In light of the events, both clubs and the FA addressed the incident.

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The “completely unacceptable” events marred the West Brom vs Wolves match

Wolves may have gotten the win over their local rivals, but manager Gary O’Neil couldn’t help but reflect on the “really disappointing” scenes. In a post-match interview with ITV, he explained, “Up until that point it was a good tie with good atmosphere. The way people behave at football is really important. First of all, I really hope everyone’s okay. We really need to look at that, make sure everyone is safe.” Given that the West Brom players’ families were in that area was a cause for concern for everybody.

Shortly after the game, West Brom put out an official statement, writing, “West Bromwich Albion Football Club condemns in the strongest terms the unsavory scenes which disrupted Sunday’s Black Country derby at The Hawthorns. The club will work with West Midlands Police and the Football Association to fully investigate the incidents which resulted in a suspension to the game.” Furthermore, the individuals involved in the fights will receive a club ban. The FA followed suit and put out a press release of its own.

“The disorder that occurred at the Black Country derby between West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers is completely unacceptable. Safety and security are of the utmost importance, and the behavior of those involved is dangerous and inexcusable,” the statement read. It was a match that had, for the most part, an atmosphere both teams enjoyed playing in. For it to end the way it did was indeed a shame.

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