Aston Villa: Officer hit by flare in clashes with Legia Warsaw fans

Aston Villa fans said "all hell broke loose" before the European fixture with Legia Warsaw.

Four police officers and police dogs were hurt in the clashes, with one officer hit by a burning flare.

Forty-six Polish fans were arrested after the violence erupted when about 1,000 away supporters were not given tickets, West Midlands Police said.

Villa has lodged a complaint with Uefa over "Legia club officials' complete lack of co-operation" before the game.

The violence outside Villa Park was the worst officers had seen at a football match in more than two decades, the deputy chair of West Midlands Police Federation said.

Police said they faced 90 minutes of "sustained violence" with barred fans hurling missiles into the stadium from surrounding streets.

All those arrested remain in custody and no home fans were detained in connection with events.

Assistant Chief Constable Damian Barratt said he had "no doubt" the failure of Legia Warsaw representatives to distribute the tickets to fans had sparked the "high levels of violence".

The force had intelligence beforehand that Legia Warsaw fans were coming over to "cause problems", said Jase Dooley, deputy chair of West Midlands Police Federation.

Flares were thrown outside the stadium and fans said bottles had been hurled into Villa Park from nearby roads

Officers from Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Mercia took part in last night's operation as well as mounted officers from Gloucestershire and Thames Valley.

The West Mercia police officer who was concussed was later taken to hospital with smoke inhalation after the smoke from the flare entered his helmet.

The flare set his jacket on fire, but it was removed quickly to minimise his injuries.

Another officer is suspected to have sustained a broken hand.

'Unprecedented violence'

Villa fan Justin told BBC Radio WM he had been walking to the ground ahead of the game and had just reached the north stand car park when "literally all hell broke loose".

"I turned round and there were flares thrown, things coming over the top. [The police] reacted very, very quickly to shut that down," he said.

Two police horses were punched and kicked, and several police dogs were also injured walking on broken glass after bottles were thrown at officers. They are not thought to be seriously hurt.

"This is unprecedented violence we've not seen for years and years," Mr Dooley said.

"You've got elderly people, families trying to go to a game and these fans, I would call them hooligans, were intent on causing damage to any person who was walking their way.

'Ketchup bottles launched'

Forty one people were detained for violent disorder, four for possession of a knife or offensive weapon and four for assaulting emergency workers. All were fans of the Polish side.

Phil Strickley was in Villa's Holte End and said fans outside the stadium had started throwing bottles in, including some picked up from a burger van.

"They were literally picking up all their ketchup bottles and launching them into the stadium, trying to hit our fans," he said.

Damage around Villa Park was evident after the night's violence, which had involved parts of police uniforms being ripped off

In a statement Aston Villa confirmed it had lodged a complaint with Uefa about the conduct of Legia Warsaw fans, and the lack of co-operation from club officials.

The statement said the "shocking behaviour" followed Legia club officials' "complete lack of cooperation" with West Midlands Police, Aston Villa and UEFA throughout the day.

Timeline of a "lack of co-operation"

• 10:30 GMT: In a standard pre-match operational meeting, Legia Warsaw refuse to confirm if they will accept their allocation of tickets for the match. Aston Villa claims this is in stark contrast to normal Uefa operational procedures.

• 14:30: Legia Warsaw (LW) officials due to meet Polish supporters

• 15:00: Legia expected to communicate the decision on tickets, but advise there is a possibility that they will not accept them

• 16:00: Legia inform Aston Villa that they wish to receive their ticket allocation

• 18:16: The tickets are handed to Legia officials immediately upon their arrival at the stadium

The club said Legia officials had been advised on a call on 2 November that they would receive an allocation of 1002 tickets.

But Chris Heck, president of business operations at the club, said: "The lack of cooperation and prevarication from Legia Warsaw officials prior to the match was entirely unacceptable and deeply disappointing.

"This behaviour increased the danger that West Midlands Police officers and our own fans were subjected to before the game and the scenes of disorder from the Legia fans have no place in modern football or civilised society."

Mr Heck said the club would be making further representations to Uefa in order to ensure that other clubs and police forces across Europe are not exposed to similar serious safety risks.

He also said police will make their own representations to Uefa, via the UK police authorities.

Birmingham councillor Waseem Zaffar was at the game with his son and said some visiting fans had got into the ground

Villa's Europa Conference League game went ahead and the Legia Warsaw fans were stopped from entering Villa Park over safety fears.

Birmingham councillor Waseem Zaffar was at the game with his eight-year-old son and said some away fans had managed to get into the ground.

"As soon as their team scored, they jumped up and then there was little spats here and there and a few of them got kicked out," he added.

Some Legia Warsaw fans who got into the stadium were removed from a Villa supporters stand during the game

Prof Clifford Stott, from Keele University, who is an expert on the policing of football crowds, was at the game.

"Some of the most serious disorder I've ever witnessed in a Uefa competition context tonight. Legia Warsaw have serious issues to confront and I can't see how Uefa cannot act," he posted on X.

Uefa - European football's governing body - said it strongly condemned the "unacceptable violence" around the game.

"Uefa is in the process of gathering all official reports from the game before deciding on potential next steps," a spokesperson added.

Dutch police officers were injured during large-scale disorder during Legia Warsaw's match against AZ Alkmaar last month.

Aston Villa won Thursday evening's game 2-1 courtesy of a 58th minute goal by Alex Moreno.