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Southampton FC and Coventry City FC have been fined a combined £52,500 after being found guilty of misconduct following a mass confrontation at the end of their Championship match on 20 December 2025.
An independent Football Association Regulatory Commission ordered Southampton to pay £22,500 and Coventry £30,000 after both clubs admitted breaches of FA Rule E20.1, which requires clubs to ensure their players and staff do not behave in an improper or provocative manner.
The charges arose from a heated incident at the final whistle, when players and coaching staff from both sides became involved in pushing and shoving on the pitch. Due to the scale of the confrontation and the conduct involved, the FA designated the cases as Non-Standard, triggering a joint hearing.
Lampard’s conduct criticised
In its written reasons, the Commission was highly critical of Coventry manager Frank Lampard, describing his actions as “inappropriate” and falling “short of how any Manager, let alone an experienced one, ought to conduct themselves”. Video evidence showed Lampard goading Southampton supporters and engaging with Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, behaviour the Commission said heightened tensions and acted as a catalyst for what followed.
The Commission also found that Coventry assistant manager Joe Edwards aggravated the situation by shoulder-barging Southampton full-back Welington Damascena Santos during the confrontation.
While accepting that Coventry bore greater responsibility overall, the Commission rejected Southampton’s claim that its own involvement was minimal. It ruled that Damascena Santos approached the situation “at speed and with aggression”, and that several Southampton players, including Josh Quarshie, went beyond acting as peacemakers.
“At least one person ended up on the ground,” the Commission noted, adding that the incident took place in full view of spectators and represented “an unseemly end to the Match”.
Fines increased due to prior records
Both clubs’ recent disciplinary histories were treated as aggravating factors. Southampton had four previous mass confrontation offences across first-team and youth competitions in the past three seasons, while Coventry had three similar breaches during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Commission increased Southampton’s fine from the £25,000 entry point to £30,000 before applying a 25% reduction for its early admission and apology. It declined to suspend any part of the sanction, citing a lack of “clear and compelling reasons”.
Coventry’s fine was uplifted by £12,500 due to its greater culpability, particularly the conduct of senior coaching staff. With only limited mitigation available, Coventry submitted no evidence beyond admitting the charge, a 20% discount was applied, resulting in a £30,000 fine.
Right of appeal
The FA did not seek costs against either club, and none were awarded. Both Southampton and Coventry retain the right to appeal the decision under FA Appeal Regulations.
Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / jorono, Unpsplash / GMB VISUALS
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