Sheffield United are facing the possibility of another FA fine this season after being charged over a coming-together in the tunnel at half-time of their fiery clash with Coventry City on Saturday.
The blue-touch paper was lit by Anel Ahmedhodzic’s sending-off just before the break, with City striker Norman Bassette winding up the Bosnian and provoking a reaction.
A fracas then erupted in the tunnel with referee Darren Bond’s whistle heard in a bid to break up the two sides. Although the exact nature of the incident was not disclosed at the time it is understood to have been included in Bond’s report, with both sides consequently hit with an FA charge earlier today.
A spokesperson for the FA confirmed: “Coventry City and Sheffield United have been charged following the mass confrontation at their EFL Championship match on Saturday, 23 November.
Both clubs allegedly failed to ensure that their players and/or technical area staff didn’t behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the tunnel area at half time. Coventry City and Sheffield United have until Thursday, 28 November, to provide their respective responses.”
It is the fourth time the Blades have been hit with an FA charge this season, after being fined for failing to control their players already against Wrexham, Watford and Portsmouth earlier this term.
Their punishment increased each time, with the Blades hit with a £40,000 fine for the Portsmouth occurence, and will do so again for any further proven breaches of the FA’s regulations.
Bassette – who had earlier caught Ahmedhodzic on the back of the head with an elbow as the two fell to the turf, and had tried to win two penalties by going down easily – infuriated United by goading the defender, and was later seen winking and blowing a kiss in Tyrese Campbell’s direction after the Blades were reduced to 10 men.
They held out for around an hour a man light, however, and came away with a creditable point after Bobby Thomas’ equaliser 10 minutes from time.
