English football authorities need ‘urgent meeting’ to discuss fan disorder

Aston Villa’s Lucas Digne, lying down, and Matty Cash, sitting, were hit by objects thrown from the crowd in the game against Everton (PA)

The head of football policing in the UK has called for an urgent meeting with the English game’s authorities to discuss the increase in disorder at matches.

The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) released figures last week which showed a 36 per cent rise in disorder in the first half of this season compared to the same period in the 2019-20 campaign.