West Ham fined £115,000 for Millwall trouble
West Ham have been fined £115,000 for failing to control their fans during the Carling Cup match with Millwall in August.
The Football Association slapped the sanction on the Irons this afternoon as punishment for the repeated pitch invasions that marred the August 25 fixture.
An FA commission found the Hammers guilty of failing to stop their fans from entering the field of play and also preventing violent, threatening, obscene and provocative behaviour.
West Ham were also ordered to pay £5,000 costs. The club have 14 days to appeal.
The club are awaiting the full findings of the commission before making a comment.
More than 50 people have been charged in connection with the trouble.
Millwall faced three charges of failing to control their fans but the tribunal found them not proven.
Meanwhile West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has player problems ahead of Sunday's visit to Aston Villa.
Midfielders Scott Parker and Mark Noble are doubtful with hamstring injuries, while defenders Danny Gabbidon and Herita Ilunga are ruled out.
Strikers Carlton Cole and Guillermo Franco are injured, which means Freddie Sears could get his first Premier League action of the season.
He could be partnered by Alessandro Diamanti, but whoever plays will have their work cut out against Martin O'Neill's in-form side.
Lining up for Villa could be West Ham old boys James Collins and Nigel Reo-Coker.
Zola has been unable to move into the transfer market so far this month and is desperate for the club's takeover to be completed so he can have funds to strengthen the squad.
He admitted today the protracted ownership issue is unsettling his players.
He said: "All this talk is affecting everybody and the sooner we get it sorted the better.
"The players want to know and they read a lot of things. We had a chat and clarified it. As far as I am concerned our priority is on the pitch.
"It is not comfortable but it's not an excuse."
Three points at Villa Park would certainly make life a bit more comfortable for Zola, as would the return to fitness of his injured players.
West Ham (from): Green, Stech, Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Daprela, Da Costa, N'Gala, Kovac, Parker, Jiminez, Collison, Noble, Behrami, Stanislas, Edgar, Payne, Lee, Diamanti, Nouble, Sears,
Venue: Villa Park
Kick off: 1.30pm.
Referee: Mike Jones
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