(Credit: Getty/Imago)

Ciaran Morrison

Fri 8 August 2025 22:45, UK

Birmingham City and Ipswich Town will face action from the FA according to a PGMOL insider after brawl between both sets of players broke out at the end of their Championship clash.

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The club’s met at St Andrews as promotion contenders on the opening night of the Championship season and the match finished in a 1-1 draw.

Kyogo had a goal controversially ruled out for a foul after just seven minutes, and it exclusively revealed by Football Insider that the Japanese striker’s effort should have counted.

Jay Stansfield was quickest to react in the second half when Kyogo’s shot hit the crossbar, but Blues could not hold onto all three points as a late Ipswich penalty gave the Tractor Boys the share of the spoils.

Stansfield thought his goal was the winner for Birmingham.

The match was always on edge with there being a couple of outbreaks of tension between the players from the first whistle.

Birmingham started on the front foot and Ipswich reverted to slowing the game to gain a foothold in the match.

The visitors’ late penalty came as a shock as no player appealed for the handball in the penalty area, but Lyndon Dykes was penalised by the referee.

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George Hirst coolly converted the spot kick before frustrations boiled over between both sets of players.

Hirst netted the equaliser for Ipswich in stoppage time.

(Credit: Imago)

This article contains exclusive comment from former professional referee Keith Hackett.”

Former FIFA referee Keith Hackett has exclusively given Football Insider his assessment of the situation and what could happen next for the club’s and players involved from both sides.

Hackett firstly believes the awarding of the penalty kick for a handball by Dykes was the correct decision.

“The Birmingham City player had his hand/arm high and when the ball struck the hand the referee had to determine if it was in an unnatural position,” Hackett said.

“He pointed to the penalty mark and for me it highlights that the handball law needs to change with the word DELIBERATE at the forefront of the decision making process.

“Referee Kitchen followed the criteria and correctly pointed to the penalty mark.”

Hackett then predicts both club’s will be charged following the scenes after the penalty was converted and says the referee could have done more to control the situation.

“What followed was a series of confrontations between players and following the referees report both teams will be charged for failing to control their players,” Hackett commented.

“I do feel that Referee Kitchen should have taken a firmer approach applying more yellow cards to win back his authority.”

The scenes ended an entertaining encounter between two sides who will see themselves as promotion contenders come the end of the season.

Birmingham will feel they should have got more out of the game, and that Ipswich may feel relieved to have stolen a late point.

Ipswich return to Portman Road next in the Championship to face Southampton whilst Birmingham travel to Blackburn.

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