EVERTON HAVE BEEN charged over the pitch invasions which marred their Premier League match against Crystal Palace on 19 May.
Supporters came on to the field at Goodison Park after the 3-2 victory over the Eagles guaranteed the Toffees’ top-flight survival, and one became involved in an altercation with Palace manager Patrick Vieira.
The Football Association said on Monday that the Merseyside club had been charged with two breaches of its rules.
A statement from the governing body read: “It is alleged that in the 84th minute and then following completion of the fixture, Everton FC failed to ensure that its spectators, and all persons purporting to be its supporters or followers, conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from using threatening and/or violent behaviour whilst encroaching onto the pitch area.”
The FA said Everton had until next Monday – July 18 – to respond to the charges.
Similar charges have been issued against Huddersfield and Bristol Rovers after end-of-season incidents.
Tougher penalties, including full or partial stadium closures, are set to be imposed for offences committed in this area from the start of the new season.
FA chair Debbie Hewitt said last month that the football authorities and clubs were united on the need for stricter sanctions to stamp out the problem of pitch invasions.
On the crowd trouble last season, Hewitt said: “It’s a worrying and ugly trend. The pitch is sacred and players, match officials and coaches have to be able to play in a safe environment.
“If you look at some of the footage that happens at the end of last season, it was disturbing and anything but safe for those players and indeed for some of those fans that invaded the pitch.
“It’s a huge concern and we are working in the FA to put in place the toughest possible sanctions that we can.”
A Nottingham Forest supporter was jailed for assaulting Sheffield United forward Billy Sharp after fans invaded the pitch at the end of the Championship play-off semi-final second leg at the City Ground. The supporter, Robert Biggs, was also given a 10-year football banning order.
Two Sheffield United players – Rhian Brewster and Oli McBurnie – were charged with common assault by Nottinghamshire Police in relation to incidents surrounding the same match.
Players were also confronted by spectators during matches at Manchester City, Northampton and Port Vale in the final month of the season.
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