Battle Of Bramall Lane

The "Battle of Bramall Lane" is a name used by the British press to refer to an English First Division football match played between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion at Bramall Lane, Sheffield on 16 March 2002. It is the only match in English professional football history to have been abandoned due to a shortage of players. Going into the match, United were comfortably mid-table with neither promotion or relegation possible, while Albion were fighting for promotion to the Premier League, the top flight of English football. The two clubs were not historically seen as rivals, and the fixture was not a local derby, but there was history between United midfielder Georges Santos and Albion midfielder Andy Johnson due to an injury Santos suffered from a collision with Johnson in a previous meeting.

United goalkeeper Simon Tracey was sent off in the 9th minute for deliberately handling the ball outside the area to stop a shot at goal. Albion striker Scott Dobie gave his side the lead going into half-time, and midfielder Derek McInnes doubled the lead in the 63rd minute, prompting United manager Neil Warnock to make two substitutions; Santos and Patrick Suffo came on, but both received red cards within moments. Santos committed a dangerous two-footed tackle on Johnson, and Suffo headbutted McInnes in the ensuing melee. Down to eight men, United conceded a third goal, with Dobie scoring his second of the afternoon. United midfielder Michael Brown and defender Robert Ullathorne suffered injuries that meant they could no longer take part in the match. Because United had already used all of their allowed substitutions, referee Eddie Wolstenholme, who had already declined to send off both Brown and captain Keith Curle for clear red-card offences, was forced to abandon the match in the 82nd minute, as dictated by the rules of the game.

A week later, Albion were awarded a 3–0 victory by The Football League, while United, Warnock and several United players received bans and fines from The Football Association. Warnock faced allegations of cheating from Albion manager Gary Megson, sparking a long-lasting feud between the two managers. Neither Santos nor Suffo ever played for United again, departing the club in the following months.

Background

With eight league matches of the 2001–02 season remaining, West Bromwich Albion were in third place in the First Division on 67 points, 11 points behind their Black Country rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, who occupied the second automatic promotion spot. Meanwhile, Sheffield United were in 15th position on 50 points, safe from relegation but not threatening the playoff places. Albion manager Gary Megson had nearly been appointed United manager in 1999, following a spell at Stoke City, and had a meeting with chairmen Derek Dooley and Bernard Procter; he turned down the role, citing his long-time affinity towards rivals Sheffield Wednesday, and United instead turned to Neil Warnock, who was manager going into the match.

In a First Division fixture on 10 March 2001 between United and Nottingham Forest, United midfielder Georges Santos was substituted off early in the match, with what was believed to be a concussion. Warnock revealed his disappointment that the referee took no action against Forest midfielder Andy Johnson, who had caused the injury. Santos underwent a five-and-a-half-hour operation on a double fracture of his eye socket, and spoke with his lawyers about the possibility of taking legal action. Johnson defended himself, saying he was "totally blameless", as it was Santos who was late in the challenge, but Warnock accused him of lying. Later in the year, Johnson moved to Albion.

The first fixture of the season between United and Albion was decided by a last-minute goal from Carl Asaba that gave United a 1–0 victory despite having Shane Nicholson sent off.

Match

Nine minutes into the match, United goalkeeper Simon Tracey was sent off by referee Eddie Wolstenholme for deliberately handling the ball outside the penalty area and denying Albion an obvious goalscoring opportunity. Sheffield United manager Neil Warnock sent on the substitute keeper, Wilko de Vogt, in place of striker Peter Ndlovu. Albion defender Lárus Sigurðsson received a yellow card shortly after. Albion opened the scoring in the 18th minute, when striker Scott Dobie headed in a cross from Andy Johnson.

Albion were unable to take further advantage of having an extra man until the 62nd minute, when captain Derek McInnes scored their second with a powerful shot, struck first-time from outside the area, that De Vogt was unable to reach. Warnock responded by making two substitutions, the last of his allowed three, in an attempt to make his team more attacking, taking off Gus Uhlenbeek and Michael Tonge for Georges Santos and Patrick Suffo.

The match quickly turned ugly; a stray ball from McInnes in midfield, later described by United striker Laurent D'Jaffo as a "pass from God", led to Santos being sent off for a high and poorly timed lunging tackle on Johnson, the studs of his boot connecting with the Welsh midfielder's shin. The two teams then began a mass brawl on the pitch, and amid the ensuing melee, Suffo headbutted McInnes in full view of referee Wolstenholme, an action so violent it caused the Albion player to bleed, and Suffo was also sent off. Albion defender Darren Moore was visibly angered by the actions of the United players, and had to be physically restrained by D'Jaffo; Johnson said it was like Moore "had the devil in him". By the time play resumed, United had been reduced to eight men, and had none of their three allotted substitutions remaining. Soon after, United captain Keith Curle was fortunate to avoid a sending off after appearing to throw punches at McInnes, as was Michael Brown for a foul on the same player, clambering over him as Albion made a breakaway. Wolstenholme later admitted to not awarding red cards and keeping both players on the field in order to finish the match.

In the 77th minute, Albion added a third goal when Dobie tapped in his second of the match from close range after United's defence were unable to clear an Albion corner kick. Two minutes later, Brown limped off for United with a suspected groin injury, and was soon followed by Robert Ullathorne, who went off injured in the 82nd minute suffering with muscle spasms, and reducing the team to six men. In accordance with Law 3 of the Laws of the Game, which states "that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team", referee Wolstenholme abandoned the game with Albion leading 3–0, marking the first time a match in English professional football had ever been abandoned through the implementation of this law in the history of English football.

Details

Aftermath

After the match, Albion manager Gary Megson said:

Football League spokesman John Nagle released a statement saying, "The Football League have the authority to allow the result to stand, or to order the game to be replayed", and confirmed there would be a meeting the following Thursday to discuss the matter. Writing for the BBC
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