CHAIRMAN Brian Henney declared Atherstone Town would “be finished” by a “single incident” at Saturday’s match with City – yet the club broke FA Vase rules over alcohol consumption.

The cans thrown at City staff during the fifth-round tie should not have been permitted pitchside, even after the relaxing of past booze bans in FA competitions.

READ MORE | Racism and lit cigarette allegedly thrown at City bench at Atherstone

READ MORE | "These things do happen" - Atherstone chairman's response to crowd trouble

READ MORE | Atherstone boss - fan disorder "tarnishes" club's reputation

READ MORE | City asked Atherstone to segregate Vase tie

Subject to licensing and laws, alcohol can be consumed in open, plastic cups but “glasses, glass bottles or cans containing alcohol are not permitted outside of the clubhouse and must not be brought into grounds.”

Cans were readily available to supporters on the day with Atherstone’s Tannoy operator indulging in a pre-match lager from a can from his station in the press seating.

In a pre-match address on the Atherstone Town Community Football Club’s Facebook page, Henney was keen to prevent repeats of the disorder that led to 21 people being jailed for a total of more than 40 years during an FA Cup tie with Barrow at Sheepy Road in October 2013.

Worcester News:

The statement explained the club “recently met with NWBC (North Warwickshire Borough Council) to negotiate a new long term lease at its Sheepy Road ground” and that “the club (ATCFC Management Committee Ltd) are now tenants in their own right without a lease” since December 2019.

Quotes attributed to Henney in the statement read: “This is a very high profile match and we are not using fan segregation.

“It’s a great day for the community, families and children to enjoy trouble free so everyone can get behind the club in the proper way.

“The game will be very well stewarded and will include a police presence.”

Henney was later quoted as saying: “Be under no illusion, should there be a single incident involving fans at this historic and important game, then this football club will be finished.”

The statement added “anyone found in possession of pyrotechnics will be refused entry to the ground and a lifetime ban from The Mark Webster Community Stadium will also ensue”.

A flare was let off, thrown over City’s dugout and onto the pitch after the Adders scored four minutes from half-time, while a man stripped down to his boxer shorts encroached on to the playing surface and crossed the pitch.

Henney declined to field questions when contacted by Worcester News on Monday, indicating all correspondence should be via email. He was invited to send across any statements which have not been forthcoming.

The tie finished 1-1 after extra-time with the replay, which will be segregated, taking place at the Victoria Ground, Bromsgrove, on Wednesday night (7.45).

The winners host Consett in the quarter-finals.