Neil Warnock has recalled the time he was punched and spat on by Bristol City supporters during the 2008 play-off victory and claims he "still sees the hatred in their faces to this day."
The Robins' old foe was speaking on talkSPORT on Friday morning following dismal scenes during pitch invasions that have tarnished the game and dominated headlines during the end of season fixtures.
Supporters around the country have flocked onto the field of play, sometimes before the full-time whistle, in celebrations which have led to numerous unsavoury incidences.
In Everton's 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Thursday, boss Patrick Vieria was filmed kicking out at a rival fan who had continued to goad him on the field. Earlier in the week, a Nottingham Forest supporter was arrested for 24 weeks after headbutting Sheffield United's Billy Sharp following their play-off semi-final victory.
There was another incident in Port Vale's League Two play-off victory when a group of home supporters appeared to throw punches toward Swindon players who were offered no protection from police or stewards.
Warnock was discussing the debate on national radio when he cast his mind back to Ashton Gate in 2008 when City had knocked out the Eagles with a 2-1 victory on the night and 4-2 on aggregate. He says it was the only time he felt for his own safety at a football match.
The former Cardiff manager said: "In 2008 at Palace we played Bristol City in the play-off semi-finals away and at the end of the game - we should have won the game missed a penalty and everything.
"They were joyous going to Wembley and you had to walk 100 yards to get to the tunnel at Bristol City and I went out to start walking and all of a sudden I had two big bouncers next to me. They were trying to shuffle me down I was almost on my knees and the punches were blowing in, I got spat on.
"Everything happened to me in that area and if I hadn't had those two bouncers... it was the only time in football where I've felt threatened.
"I know we've had problems this week about people having a go at crowds and things like that. I don't mind the abuse I get from crowds but I'll never forget the nastiness of the faces of two of those fans. Even today I can see them now, I can see the pictures of their hatred.
"I wrote to the EFL in 2008 and explained everything that happened I said 'I know they're going to come on, you know they're going to come on so why not do something about it until someone gets a serious injury?'
"I got a reply saying 'thank you for your comments', that was 2008 and now what happened last night there's not going to be any change, we need to do it ourselves and insists on this police force.
"Stewards can't cope with that sort of pressure. They should have two lines of police five minutes to go with their yellow outfits and they should go straight onto the pitch with a 30-yard gap in between and let the players come off there.
"The EFL should pay for that, not the clubs. You can't stop them. You get these groups of small minorities and all they have is hatred in their eyes."
Warnock had stirred the pot before the contest after David Noble's famous goal in the 93rd minute had given City a slender 2-1 advantage in the first-leg.
Just before the second-leg, Warnock said of City: "I thought they were arrogant, we don't need any more motivation. I expect a lot more protection on Tuesday. They came to make sure our young lads got a few kicks early on. They did whatever they could get away with."
City's rivalry with Warnock was initially sparked three months prior when Gary Johnson was in the dugout. Crystal Palace were the visitors to Ashton Gate when Palace appeared to be heading back to London with three big points in the promotion race when the fourth official indicated a minimum of five minutes added time.
Cue a Lee Johnson corner in the 97th minute when his delivery was met by Jamie McCombe to head past Julian Speroni, leaving Warnock spitting feathers at the officials which eventually led to a £2,000 fine.
Warnock remembered the story last month when he said: "I remember at Bristol City they put five minutes of injury time up and we were winning 1-0 and they have a free-kick and we headed it out for a corner. It should've been time, there were seven minutes gone. They took it and the big centre half scored and they come off and I had to go and do the interviews.
"I went in the dressing room and I said to the lads 'right, I'm going to go on television now and I'm going to get fined and you lot are going to pay it!'
"So I went out and the guy (reporter) said, 'what did you think? there was five minutes injury time and they scored in the seventh Neil, and I replied, 'I thought the referee was out of order when he jumped up and punched the air.'"
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