FA announce Luton Town fine and reveal Sunderland apology following play-off semi final scenes

Luton Town have been fined £35,000 following an FA charge issued in the aftermath of the club's win in the second leg of the play-off semi final earlier this year.

The FA charged Luton with breaching Rule E21 in relation to crowd control after two incidents in the game.

The first came when then Sunderland loanee Amad was pushed by a home supporter as he prepared to take a throw in, and the second was a lengthy pitch invasion that followed the game.

An independent regulatory commission issued the verdict after the club agreed to the charge.

Sunderland supporters were praised in the commission's verdict for not attempting to enter the pitch at the full time whistle, when a number of home fans approached the away end and 'goaded' those present.

The verdict recognised several mitigating factors on the night, including Luton's 'frank and genuine' apology to Amad, Sunderland and its supporters.

The commission described the incident involving Amad as follows: "During the match in the 14th minute a Sunderland player ran to the touchline to collect he ball for a throw in, when the ball had run into the crowd.

"As the player sought to retrieve the ball a Club supporter lent over the advertising hoardings and pushed the player in his back, the player took two steps forward."

The commission found that inadequate stewarding and the inability of the club's control room to see broadcast footage meant that the supporter in question was not identified until the next day. The supporter was subsequently banned.

Luton were fined £5,000 for that incident, with the pitch invasion accounting for the rest of the fine.

While acknowledging that the ground is not an easy one to steward, the commission found that the club had underestimated the likelihood of an incursion given the stakes of the game and that the number of stewards was inadequate.

The commission said that it was 'mere luck' that there were no significant consequences to the incursion, which included numerous pyrotechnics.

Having originally fined Luton Town a sum of £55,000, the commission decided to reduce that with the club's honest admission of failure put forward as significant mitigation.

The report reads: "We find from the evidence of Mr Clark [Luton Town club secretary] that the Club has reflected on the failings that these incidents establish and that the Club has a real insight into and appreciation of the failings.

"We commend Mr Clark’s and the club’s frank and genuine expressions of remorse and apology expressed as they were to the Sunderland player, Sunderland supporters and the FA.

"We were particularly impressed by the frank modesty of Mr Clark that for the club this was their misjudgement and lack of experience. We accept that evidence of remorse, apology and reflection and we give credit for it."

Luton Town went on to win the play-off final against Coventry City.

The report said that the club had been warned to take measures to prevent any future contact between players and supporters at the ground.