George Overhill

Mon 29 January 2024 12:20, UK

The West Brom and Wolves bosses reached an agreement with the referee and club officials to present a “united scene” when the players came back out during their FA Cup tie at The Hawthorns, according to the Daily Mail.

Tom Collomosse reported for the paper’s website on 28 January that amid “appalling scenes” during the 2-0 Wolves win earlier the same day Carlos Corberan and Gary O’Neil had been “deep in conversation” in the tunnel after players left the pitch due to crowd trouble.

At the same time as a bloodied fan was removed by police and medical staff the two managers were in discussions for both teams to come out and warm up at the same time in an attempt to help diffuse the situation in the stands.

While the two sets of players emerging in conjunction was meant to “calm the waters” with their joint display for watching supporters police and stewards then “patrolled nearly the entire perimeter of the pitch” as the final 12 minutes got back under way.

Dismal

The West Brom performance on the pitch wasn’t bad for long stretches but getting caught on the counter-attack to go behind to Neto’s opener from their own corner was poor.

Once Matheus Cunha netted the second it was clear it wasn’t going to be the Baggies day, and after so long when the derby fixture always did turn out to be so that was all the more disappointing.

But for the occasion to descend in the way it did, with violence, a delay almost long enough to play a whole half of football, and players having to lead their own families away to safety from the stands, was inexcusable.

Nobody comes away looking good from a situation like that, and there is bound to be blowback from it from the authorities.

It was fairly surprising that the game did manage to restart at all on the day, but it looks like Corberan and O’Neil’s plan probably helped.

ITV refused to show most of what went on during the delay but it can’t be shied away from, and while a derby atmosphere is heated at the best of times, as it is supposed to be, people should be capable of staying aware of the point where the line is that can’t be crossed.

Nobody should be put in danger just because they’ve got to watch a football match, least of all children, and despite how relatively few were involved from the thousands inside the ground it is still a major problem that will have to be addressed.

In other West Brom news, a “serious” transfer update leaves the Baggies facing a major threat before the window shuts.

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