Nine arrests as Chelsea and West Brom supporters clash at The Hawthorns
Nine people were arrested at The Hawthorns on Friday as ugly scenes between supporters marred Chelsea's title-clinching win over West Brom.
Seven men who were detained for invading the pitch during Chelsea's 1-0 win have all been charged and bailed.
Two other men - a 32-year-old man from Suffolk suspected of criminal damage and assault and a 35-year-old man from Solihull arrested for a public order offence - have been bailed pending further enquiries.
Three of those arrested were Albion fans and six were Chelsea supporters.
Shortly after Michy Batshuayi scored the all-important goal eight minutes from time to crown Antonio Conte's team champions, pockets of disturbance erupted in the Birmingham Road End and the East Stand.
Videos shot by Albion fans showed Chelsea supporters who had been sitting in the home end coming to blows with regulars after openly celebrating the goal.
The game had to be stopped briefly when a couple of visiting fans in the wrong end invaded the pitch and ran towards the away fans in the Smethwick End.
The incident left many fans upset, but Chief Inspector Nick Rowe from West Midlands Police's operations unit described the disturbances as 'minor'.
“Overall it was a great evening match with an intense atmosphere, with the majority of fans behaving really well and enjoying the game, with only relatively minor issues dealt with by officers," Ch Insp Rowe said.
Before the game, the Baggies issued a statement confirming a 'zero tolerance' approach that promised any fans found to be selling their tickets to Chelsea supporters would be banned from the ground.
In the few days leading up to the match, tickets in the away end were being sold for as much as £1,700 and some home fans were selling their seats on eBay and social media for more than six times their face value.
The club, who decided not to put seats on general sale, contacted supporters doing that and told them to take the tickets down. But some Chelsea fans still found their way into the home end.
Six of the men charged with pitch incursion will appear at Dudley Magistrates Court on May 26 and one will appear on May 30.
