Football return to dark( sport)

Aston Villa's season has come alive in the
space of five days - electrified by the touchline
presence of new manager Tim Sherwood and a
re-energised Villa Park.
West Bromwich Albion were twice the victims of
the Sherwood effect as Tuesday's vital Premier
League win was followed by the 2-0 victory in
the FA Cup quarter-final that takes Villa to
Wembley for the first time in five years.
Sadly, for every word that will be written about
Villa's finest week this season, more will pore
over the disgraceful scenes that threaten to
overshadow a landmark win for Sherwood and
his players.
The return of football's ugly face
This was a game that always had the capacity
to be, to use West Brom manager Tony Pulis's
word, "tasty" given the obvious deep ill-feeling
between the two sets of supporters separated by
less than four miles.
The antipathy was evident from the kick-off and
provided an uneasy undercurrent throughout
inside a thunderous Villa Park that reflected the
tension and importance the FA Cup still carries,
especially with a semi-final at Wembley as the
prize.
And when Fabian Delph gave Villa a 51st-minute
lead the first signs of the behaviour that will
result in a Football Association investigation
were detected as the sight and smell of smoke
from a flare, claret in colour, filled the air.