English leagues announce tougher sanctions on smoke bombs, invasions
MANCHESTER: England's Premier League and Football League have announced tough new sanctions for pitch invasions and the use of smoke bombs and pyrotechnics.
Last season saw an increasing number of pitch invasions at the end of the season with fans celebrating titles, promotion or survival.
Several altercations took place on the field, including one involving Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, while Sheffield United's Billy Sharp was attacked by a fan after a playoff defeat at Nottingham Forest.
Smoke bombs and pyrotechnics, which have long been used at games in continental Europe and elswhere in the world, used to be relatively rare in England but their use has become a more regular occurance.
The leagues and the Football Association said that from the start of the new season "all ...