This is the shocking image of the Everton fan slashed during a fight with Millwall supporters before the clubs’ FA Cup tie on Saturday.
Jay Burns, who posted the picture on Facebook, needed dozens of stitches after the violent showdown.
He posted on social media: ‘Thanks to everyone messaging me. I appreciate it, checking up on me. Absolutely devastated about my face, nice one to all the Everton lads and everyone who has messaged me and the Liverpool lads who have messaged me. I can’t even look at me self in the mirror.’
Britain’s top football police officer told Sportsmail that the mass violence was part of a persistent criminality which the football authorities are too often ready to ignore.
As well as the slashing, a mother described a brick being hurled through the window of the Everton coach on which she and her 10-year-old daughter were travelling to the tie, which Millwall won 2-1.
But Millwall’s condemnation of fans on Sunday was limited to reports of racist chanting outside the ground, while the Football Association indicated that violence away from the ground was well beyond their jurisdiction.
Deputy Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs Council Football Lead said: ’Anyone who thinks this doesn’t happen on a regular basis would be very naive. It is a bit too easy for everyone else to say “It’s nothing to do with us.” For every high profile incident there are at least a dozen episodes which are not reported because officers have dealt with them.’
Other forces called on to deal with football-related violence on Saturday included South Yorkshire, after skirmishes broke out between Doncaster Rovers and Oldham Athletic fans ahead of their tie, which Rovers won 2-1.
Clubs’ insistence that they will only pay for policing in a narrowly defined area around grounds is a source of mounting frustration to cash-strapped senior officers, who find themselves tackling criminality around multiple kick-off times.
One leading Premier League club which was condemning racist behaviour at its ground before Christmas has engaged lawyers to find ways of reducing the money they pay to police. ‘That is rank hypocrisy,’ Mr Roberts said.
‘Police are picking up the tab on people who are only there because of the football match and the service to the rest of the public is eroded. People need to take a broader responsibility.’
YouTube footage of the clashes between dozens of supporters outside a block of flats in east London suggest that two groups of fans were intent on violence before the 5.30pm kick-off.
Liverpool-based Vision Coaches, which took Everton fans down to east London, told Sportsmail that the four vehicles which arrived on time at 4pm parked up safely. But a fifth was late, arriving at 5pm, and became caught in the crossfire, incurring damage totalling £10,000. The windscreen cracked and three windows smashed.
Everton supporter Lynsey Phippard, 36, told the Liverpool Echo that she had swapped seats with her 10-year-old daughter minutes before a brick was thrown through the window, at around 5.05pm.
‘Three windows got smashed,’ said Ms Phippard.
‘There were two on one side and one on the other which is the one that me and my daughter were sat next to. I swapped places with her [because I saw it looked like trouble.] The coach was full of women and quite a few older people, so not fans looking for trouble.'
Ms Phippard said the driver was forced to abandon his attempts to get the bus to the ground.
The eye-witness testimony of residents in Millwall pointed to pre-mediated violence.
One, who did not wish to be named, told Sportsmail: ‘We saw a load of fans pouring out of the Farriers pub - a Millwall pub - and they had clearly arranged to meet the Everton fans by the park for a scrap. It’s 15 minutes from the stadium so it clearly seemed pre-arranged.
'The fans had scarves over their face to hide their identity but police had cameras on them. It was very scary. We were going to go down to Surrey Quays station to see friends but stayed at home to stay out of trouble.’
A local grocer said: ‘I saw fans scrapping outside another pub. They were shouting “f*** you, f*** you” and barging into each other. It’s where the Millwall fans go before the game so I’m not sure why Everton fans were going there.’
Before the game, Sportsmail witnessed more than 20 police escorting Everton fans on the train from London Bridge to South Bermondsey. The fans were held at station on arrival as police had a tip-off that Millwall fans would be waiting at other end.
The Everton supporters, many of whom already appeared drunk, exchanged verbal insults with Millwall fans in the distance before being shepherded to the away end upon exiting the station.
Everton said they were working with the authorities to help investigate and encouraged fans to relate their experiences.
The Football Supporters Federation said they ‘condemned all football violence’ yet said the broader significance of the Millwall episode should not be overstated.
A spokesman said: ‘While there is no room for complacency, the overwhelming majority of fans want nothing to do with such behaviour.’
The FA will investigate alleged discriminatory chants by home Millwall supporters. Social media videos alleged there were derogatory chants about Muslims.
Millwall condemned the chanting and said anyone identified would receive a life ban.