Football briefs: Brawl lands Bradford and Crawley in dock

BRADFORD and Crawley have been charged by the Football Association following the mass brawl that marred the end of their npower League Two fixture on Tuesday.

The ill-tempered game, which promotion-chasing Crawley won 2-1, exploded at the full-time whistle and, after a huge confrontation, Bradford’s Jonathan McLaughlin, Luke Oliver and Andrew Davies and Crawley’s Pablo Mills and Claude Davis were all red-carded for their part by referee Iain Williamson.

It was announced yesterday that both sides have now been charged by the FA with failing to ensure their players and/or officials conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from provocative behaviour.

The clubs have until 4pm on Tuesday to respond to the charge.

Mills has also been charged with violent conduct after appearing to throw a number of punches, which is an additional sanction to the three-match ban he received following his dismissal.

Kyle McFadzean, who escaped punishment on the night, has also landed a violent conduct charge for actions which were missed by Williamson and his two assistants, but caught on video.

Both men have until 6pm today to respond to the charges.

Bednar’s Blackpool loan hit by injury

BLACKPOOL could be without former Hearts striker Roman Bednar for the rest of the season due to knee ligament damage.

Bednar, on loan from West Brom, suffered the injury moments after scoring his first goal for the club against Leicester last Tuesday and, although scans have confirmed manager Ian Holloway’s fears, the full extent of the problem is not yet known due to heavy bruising around the joint.

“It has been stop-start since I came here and that is annoying because I am really enjoying my time at the club,” said the 28-year-old Czech.

Berlusconi back as AC Milan president

Silvio Berlusconi is officially AC Milan’s president again.

Milan announced last night that the club’s board of directors has nominated him honorary president. A statement read: “President Silvio Berlusconi is back at his club. The board of directors met today and have appointed him honorary president.”

Berlusconi, who resigned as Italy’s premier in November, was previously Milan president from March 1986 to December 2004, then again from June 2006 to May 2008. He has always acted as Milan’s president, although vice-president Adriano Galliani runs the club on a daily basis.