The FA charged Ross McCrorie after players and staff from Bristol City and Millwall came together on the Ashton Gate touchline.
The FA has imposed a three-match suspension on Ross McCrorie ahead of Bristol City’s FA Cup match against Watford, after the defender admitted to breaking FA Rule E1.1 in the aftermath of the Robins’ December defeat to Millwall.
The Lions defeated Gerhard Struber’s side 1-0 at Ashton Gate last month. In a tight game, Mihailo Ivanovic’s second-half score was enough to give Alex Neil’s team the three points in south Bristol, as the Reds suffered their first of three successive defeats.
Ivanovic scored the game-winning goal moments before the hour mark, finishing from close range after Radek Vitek had twice denied Femi Azeez. While that forward’s strike proved to be the only goal of the game, the majority of the drama occurred later in the game.
Zak Vyner blasted home following a McCrorie header in stoppage time, giving City the impression they had secured a point. However, before the celebrations could commence on the pitch and in the spectators, the flag was raised, indicating that the Scotsman had drifted into an offside position.
With the irritation of such a disputed judgment fresh in the memory, passions flared up after the final whistle, with members of both benches and players from both teams soon engaging in a melee between the dugouts moments after full time.
The exact origin of the melee is unknown, with Millwall manager Neil claiming Struber refused to shake his hand, while the Robins’ head coach recalls the opposite happening.
Regardless of what prompted the collaboration, the FA stated in mid-December that both clubs had been charged with allegedly failing to ensure that their players and personnel would not conduct inappropriately, provocatively, or violently after the full-time whistle.
In addition to the collective allegation, it was alleged that Joe Williams ‘behaved in an improper manner and/or utilized violent conduct following the final whistle,’ while McCrorie and Harry Cornick were charged with a violation of FA Rule E1.1. Both players’ actions were not observed by authorities, but were captured on film and are said to constitute violent conduct.
Cornick conceded the accusation and served his three-game suspension over the holidays, while City, Williams, and McCrorie had until January 5 to react. Now that the deadline has passed, McCrorie’s sentence has been verified.
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City’s Ross McCrorie has been suspended following the EFL Championship match against Millwall on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
‘The player’s behavior after the final whistle was not observed by match officials, but it was captured on video, and the FA claimed it constituted violent conduct.
“Ross McCrorie subsequently admitted the charge against him and accepted the standard three-match suspension.”
McCrorie, who has started each of the Robins’ past seven games, will be unable to play in City’s FA Cup third round match against Watford on Saturday due to his suspension. The Scotland international will also be suspended for next weekend’s game against Oxford at the Kassam Stadium, as well as the following Tuesday’s match against Ipswich Town on Portman Road.
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