Lancaster City versus Halifax Town should’ve been an interesting cup tie. It had all the makings of one. After-all, they shared a friendly rivalry when Halifax had pipped Lancaster to the league title two years ago. Since then Halifax have been promoted up another level and Lancaster have missed out again; so now two leagues separate the sides.

Both have had indifferent starts to the season when more was expected of them and both sides were desperate for a win – Halifax for a comfortable victory that would see them progress and Lancaster for a giant-killing that the FA Cup is so famous for. Sadly the game has gone down in infamy after a mass brawl broke out and drew unwanted national attention on the clubs.

Of course, without cameras it is very difficult to say who or what started it all off. Most accounts are saying that a Halifax fan punched a Lancaster fan and lots more from both sides got involved; but this is just heresy on fansites.

Suffice to say both sides are blaming each other and both sides are saying alcohol was heavily involved. Local journalist Aaron Jackson tweeted from the game – “Opinions my own. Idiotic goading from either side, ridiculous violence: a man laid on the floor taking repeated kicks to head,” and a short time later, “Arrests made, one man taken in ambulance. Not fucking right. Ahem. Back to the game. Second half should contain actual football.”

One question that is continually being raised is why were there only two stewards at the game when a large crowd was expected?

Lancaster usually have crowds of around 200-300. Last weekend’s attendance was 646. Whilst this is higher than they would normally get they have dealt with large crowds in the past including dealing with Halifax twice before. In fact they dealt with a massive crowd of over 2000 against FC United of Manchester with absolutely no problems at all.

Perhaps they just didn’t see it coming. It’s not as if there is any form for this kind of stuff happening at the Giant Axe and Halifax seem a friendly bunch. Despite that, one would’ve assumed that two stewards was inadequate even if no fight had happened and they must surely have spoken to the police before the game and informed them of their security plans for the game.

Why didn’t the police insist that there was a police presence like there was for Chester FC’s game against Lancaster last year when half the force showed up? There are a few words that spring to mind and some of them include lazy and incompetent.

And what of the long term effect on the club? All the neutrals in the crowd are unlikely to return again especially those that brought kids. Sponsors may just think against backing the club in the future.

Sadly as this has happened in Lancaster they are likely to take most of the blame when it appears to have been a few idiots from both sides. Personally, I’d knock both clubs out of the competition and force them to give prize monies back to show those idiot supporters that having a fight ruins it for everyone.

What will happen? I wait with baited breath.

Photo courtesy of Matthew Wilkinson.