Soccer: Richardson to ban cup thugs

Coventry chairman Bryan Richardson is to impose life bans on supporters found responsible for the violence on Saturday.

Shaun Goater's injury-time winner for Manchester City in the FA Cup led to fighting between rival groups in the main stand at Maine Road.

Match commander Chief Inspector Chris Marshall said the trouble arose when Coventry supporters broke away from their segregated area.

Richardson said: "We will do everything to assist the police. We do not condone this sort of behaviour.

"We will ban from our ground for life anyone identified as being involved in the trouble."

Marshall labelled the culprits "mindless hooligans" after the hosts had secured their place in the fifth round.

"When Manchester City scored the away fans responded to the home fans' celebrations," he said.

"They jumped over a wall, breached a line of stewards and went across 24 rows of seats left empty to separate the two sections before attacking home fans."

The Football Association said they are awaiting reports from the various bodies before deciding whether to take any action.