THE image of football is once again being dragged through the gutter by two despicable coin-throwing incidents.

West Brom midfielder Chris Brunt was cut inches under his left eye by a 50p piece hurled from a section of his team’s own support following their 3-1 FA Cup defeat at Reading.

Under 24 hours later, coins were lobbed at Manchester City players, striker David Faupala among them, as they celebrated equalising in a fifth-round match against Chelsea they went on to lose 5-1.

The game has done much over the years to rid itself of the hooligan culture that once existed on terraces up and down the land.

Yet the unsavoury scenes at the Madejski Stadium and Stamford Bridge at the weekend show it has not been totally eradicated. It may never. What happened in those matches was utterly deplorable.

Not only was the behaviour idiotic, it was also premeditated.

You don’t accidentally throw a coin at someone.

A human being actually made a conscious decision to take a coin from their pocket and aim it at another human being.

They knew what they were doing and should face the consequences, which is likely prosecution.

Those who stood idly by and watched, choosing to stay silent rather than shop those responsible, don’t emerge from this with any credit either.

It is pleasing to see Chelsea and West Brom threatening the offenders with lifetime bans if they are brought to book.

Hopefully, they will make good on that.

The strongest of messages needs to be sent that such behaviour has no place in football, sport or society in general.