Leicester City reacted with anger last night as their celebrations at reaching Wembley were marred by the news that five players and three backroom staff have been charged with misconduct after the Football Association's inquiry into ticket distribution for last year's Worthington Cup final.
Less than 24 hours after the 1-0 victory over Aston Villa sealed Leicester's third final in four years, the FA announced that it was pressing charges in connection with the "alleged irresponsible distribution" of hundreds of tickets.
Steve Guppy, Neil Lennon, Graham Fenton, Arnar Gunnlaugsson and Stuart Campbell have been charged along with the chief scout Jim Melrose, the academy director David Nish and the physiotherapist Ian Andrews. Tony Cottee and Andy Impey already faced similar charges, and the "Leicester 10" have been summoned to a specially convened FA hearing at Filbert Street on March 15th.
It follows the FA's investigation of the crowd violence that marred Tottenham's 1-0 win at Wembley last March after Spurs supporters obtained tickets for sections reserved for Leicester fans. But the timing of the announcement annoyed Leicester, whose manager Martin O'Neill was described as "furious".
Sir Rodney Walker, chairman of the club's plc board, said: "I am astonished that there should be a lapse of several months without us hearing anything from the FA and now they drop this on our toes the morning after we have reached a Wembley final. It is totally inexplicable.
"If it is a coincidence it is truly amazing. But if it is a deliberate act it is something that needs to be explored at the highest level."
The FA charged Cottee and Impey in September and 25 players and staff were accused of failing to assist its inquiry. Those allegations have now been dropped, although advisory letters from Lancaster Gate have been sent to everyone who was investigated.
Leicester's spokesman Paul Mace said: "They should never have been charged in the first place and we would expect a full apology from the FA for the embarrassment and worry they have caused.
"We also find it hard to believe that, having qualified for a second successive final, the FA should still be nowhere near completing this inquiry."
The FA's spokesman Steve Double retorted: "The club were kept fully informed that we were deliberately holding back on today's statement so as not to interfere with their preparation for last night's game and the other big matches they have played in the last few weeks. So to be accused of insensitivity is a little strange."
The FA will allow every Leicester player the standard quota of tickets for this year's final against Tranmere Rovers on February 27th. However, the Football League has ruled that no player may buy more than 25 tickets and each receiving club must make a written commitment that their allocation will not fall into the wrong hands.
