The English Football Association is to investigate reports of a fracas at the end of Middlesbrough’s ill-tempered 2-2 draw with Leeds United at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.
Leeds’ Alan Smith and Boro’s Franck Queudrue were both sent off and the game concluded in a mass brawl involving several players from both sides. The bust-up continued after the final whistle in the players tunnel with allegations of racial abuse being made against Leeds’ midfielder Nicky Barmby.
Yesterday, Barmby dismissed claims made by George Boateng that he had made racistremarks at the Dutch midfielder, while Boateng himself denied that he had spat at Barmby.
The allegations againstBarmby are an acute embarrassment to Leeds because of last year’s trials of Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer on race-related assault charges.
