FA given record fine in final warning from UEFA

THE England FA escaped with a fine of stg£68,000 for racist abuse and pitch invasions during England’s game against Turkey but were left in no doubt the next outbreak of crowd trouble will see the weight of UEFA’s disciplinary action brought to bear.

With a potentially troublesome match in Turkey in October, not to mention the finals in Portugal next year, the behaviour of those who follow England both at home and abroad will be under the microscope.

UEFA officials may have been talking tough after the disciplinary hearing here in Switzerland today but there was no disguising the FA’s relief they avoided being forced to play the game against Slovakia in Middlesbrough on June 11 behind closed doors. Nonetheless it was the highest-ever fine by UEFA for a racism-related charge.