FA set to investigate Spurs spat
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The Football Association has confirmed they are to contact Tottenham following the scenes which marred Monday's FA Cup quarter-final replay against Chelsea at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea's celebrations upon the final whistle of their 2-1 success were interrupted when two supporters were allowed to get onto the pitch, before one aimed, but missed, a punch in the direction of Frank Lampard.
The fan was quickly accosted by a combination of Lampard's team-mates and match stewards, but The FA has deemed the incident 'totally unacceptable'.
Tottenham have since confirmed that they intend to ban for life the fan that attacked Lampard, but claim the other supporter in question was following Chelsea.
"We can confirm that two fans entered the field of play, one from each club," read a club statement.
"The Tottenham fan is to receive an immediate lifetime ban from matches at White Hart Lane and will appear in court during the coming week.
"Details of the Chelsea supporter have been forwarded to Chelsea Football Club and we believe that they will be taking similar action."
Lampard, who suggested the supporter had been drinking, admitted he had to be on his guard to avoid the assault but on reflection, took the incident in good grace.
"I don't think he should have been on the pitch in the first place, but you can understand there is a lot of emotion in a game like this."
Lampard's manager, Jose Mourinho, was also quick to underplay the incident at the final whistle, but The FA is now to investigate what occurred and there could yet be further implications for Tottenham.
An FA spokesman said: "These scenes were totally unacceptable and we will be contacting Spurs as a matter of priority.
"We want to establish what safety and security provisions were in place for the game and to confirm what action was taken against the fans who ran onto the pitch.
"We understand that both individuals were arrested and we would expect them to be given football banning orders." -
The fan lousy man. Shall have really hit Lampard. I dun like Lampard.
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Lamps hoping security improves
Frank Lampard has admitted he was 'shocked' by the Spurs fan who attempted to attack him after their FA Cup victory on Monday, but hopes the incident will prevent similar occurrences in future.
Lampard narrowly escaped attack when a fan entered the pitch as Chelsea celebrated their win over Spurs in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
But while he admits he was shaken by what happened, he believes it could result in better preventative measures.
"It was disappointing. You enjoy celebrating a win and then when something like that happens, it sort of shocks you," he told Sky Sports News.
"But when a couple of days pass and you don't see it on the front of the papers and when you're watching Sky all day, then maybe it'll just be something that'll be put right and hopefully not happen again."
Lampard will face another hostile environment when he heads to Israel for England's Euro 2008 qualifier on Saturday, but he insists it is something players thrive on.
"I enjoy it. I enjoy those atmospheres - that's what football's all about.
"I think they're the games - Champions League away games, England games away from home - those atmospheres have to inspire you and make you want to do well, and that's the attitude we'll all have to have on Saturday."
A win for England is particularly important with the team's poor form of late, and while Lampard is yet to open his account in the qualifying campaign, he is refusing to get too worried about his lack of goals.
"I haven't scored in qualifying game for England in this campaign yet, so I'm determined to do that, and we've got players in midfield who can contribute, and it'll be important we try to do that.
"We've got talented players, we've got creative players, so let's hope they can create and score goals.
"But as a midfield player you can't expect to be scoring all the time. It goes with the territory. There's a lot of other things you have to put in your game first, and hopefully the goals are just a bonus that will come because of that." -
Chelsea fans themselves are no better. They love throwing salad @ opposing players.
