Tottenham supporters are furious with the FA after it was confirmed the club has been charged with misconduct following clashes with Aston Villa’s players and staff last weekend.
Spurs boss Thomas Frank was desperate for a victory to strengthen his grip on the job, but an in-form Villa side ended Tottenham’s FA Cup hopes. Goals from Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers gave Unai Emery’s men a 2-0 first-half lead in North London, and despite a second-half strike from Wilson Odobert, Spurs were knocked out of the competition.
The defeat dealt a serious blow to Tottenham’s hopes of silverware this season, and emotions spilled over at full-time as tempers flared between players and staff from both sides. Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Rogers appeared to spark the confrontation as they celebrated in front of the away supporters, prompting a heated response.
Watkins was seen raising his arms toward Villa fans in front of Tottenham midfielder Joao Palhinha moments after the final whistle, which led to an immediate confrontation. Rogers and Lamare Bogarde quickly stepped in to support their teammate, while Micky van de Ven attempted to restrain Palhinha, before the situation escalated into a mass melee involving players and backroom staff from both teams.
Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett later told Football Insider that he expected both clubs to face FA action, with potential fines of up to £250,000. The FA has now confirmed via an official statement on X that Tottenham and Aston Villa will both be charged with misconduct for failing to ensure their players and officials did not act in an improper or provocative manner after the match.
Both clubs have been given until Friday to respond, with the FA keen to deal with the incident swiftly due to its high-profile nature.
The charge has only added to growing frustration among Spurs fans, as it marks Tottenham’s second FA case in a month. Earlier, Cristian Romero received an additional one-match ban and a £50,000 fine for aggressive conduct toward a referee following his red card against Liverpool.
Many supporters feel their club is being unfairly targeted, with one fan venting on X: “You lot at the FA are an embarrassment. Maybe start charging your referees for losing control of games.”
