Birmingham City v Aston Villa: Why was the derby played at night?

Dec 3 2010 by Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail

Birmingham City and Aston Villa fans have united to condemn the ugly scenes which marred the pulsating Carling Cup encounter – with some questioning why the game was played at night.

As Birmingham City officials launched an investigation, fans said the evening kick-off time may have played a part by allowing those intent on causing trouble to fuel up on booze before the match.

All Premier League encounters between the bitter city rivals now kick off at noon on Sundays in an attempt to avoid the kind of scenes which marred Blues’ 2-1 win.

The switch was made after violent scenes at the two games between the clubs in the 2002/03 season, both of which were played on Monday nights.

But Carling Cup matches are always played on midweek evenings.

Mark Lynch, aged 29, a Villa fan from Redditch, added: “It’s ridiculous to have a derby in the evening and they should have known that. There are idiots among both sets of fans and they have given the city a bad name.”