Chelsea face £750,000 fine for 'failing to control players'

Chelsea yesterday denied a Football Association charge of failing to control their players in the Premiership match against West Bromwich Albion this month, but may face a fine of up to £750,000 if they are found guilty of committing the same offence during Sunday's ill-tempered west London derby at Fulham.

The France defender William Gallas faces up to a four-match ban for his red card for stamping on Heidar Helguson, an offence he compounded by making a succession of thumbs-down gestures to the Craven Cottage crowd as he made his way to the changing room.

Gallas's dismissal sparked angry protests from Chelsea's players, who surrounded the referee Mike Dean and his assistant Paul Norman.

To cap it all, both Chelsea and Fulham fans spilled on to the pitch after the match, which Fulham won 1-0, where minor skirmishes took place.

The fine has the potential to be so large because Chelsea already face a £250,000 penalty for the fracas at the Hawthorns ­ which followed a high challenge by Albion's Ronnie Wallwork. The FA's punishment can triple if a club are culpable of the same offence twice in one season.

Chelsea have requested a personal hearing with the FA's disciplinary committee as they look to avoid punishment for the West Brom incident, which referee Mike Halsey included in his post-match report to the FA and " expressed his view that a number of Chelsea players pressurised him".

The Stamford Bridge side confirmed yesterday they are joining the hunt for the supporters who invaded the Fulham pitch on Sunday. "We will co-operate with any investigation by the FA and Fulham into the post-match events at Craven Cottage," a spokesman said.

"This is a criminal offence [and those fans] will also face disciplinary action by the club and be banned from Stamford Bridge."