The ugly side of football was on display in England in the weekend, with fan invasions taking the spotlight for gruesome actions.

Jack Grealish and Chris Smalling were victims of two very different attacks, with the former being especially nasty considering the audacity of the whole scenario.

While both players reacted professionally, the shocking actions could’ve gone even wrong on another day. The disgusting antics by the fan against Grealish is proof that during heated derbies, a player is risking their own well-being from the opposition fans. While both the fans were arrested and banned, the Football Association needs to take bigger steps.

These things cannot be afforded to continue. Players could get seriously hurt or worse if these matters are swept under the rug by the FA.

Not only should the culprits be guilty, but the clubs they are representing should as well.

As Alan Shearer stated on the matter, Birmingham City should have points deducted for letting it happen. While this may seem unfair to some, the FA and the leagues need to work together to eradicate this issue.

If strict rules like deducting points, hefty fines or having to play games behind closed-doors is the key, then so be it.

Just banning particular rowdy fan’s won’t discourage others from repeating the same offence, but punishing their beloved clubs will.

As this dark patch threatens to ruin the reputation of England’s top leagues, drastic steps are necessary to exterminate them from repeating in the future.

Aston Villa fans, do you think more could have been done to stop Grealish getting attacked? Join the discussion by commenting below...