(CNN) -- After a week in which football's reputation has been dragged through the mud, the ugly spectre of hooliganism raised its head once more after a goalkeeper was subjected to a physical assault during an English Championship game.
Chris Kirkland, the goalkeeper of Sheffield Wednesday, was hit in the face by a supporter of Leeds United during the teams' 1-1 draw at Hillsborough.
With Leeds just having equalized in the 77th minute, the man ran onto the pitch and struck Kirkland, who fell to the floor and required medical treatment.
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The former England goalkeeper, 31, was left visibly shocked by the event and led to his manager, Dave Jones, insisting that Leeds fans should be 'banned from every league ground'.
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England midfielder Danny Rose claims he was subjected to monkey chants before, during and after the second-leg of their Under-21 Euro 2013 playoff match against Serbia on Tuesday, and had stones thrown at him by the crowd in Krusevac. Fans also ran on to the pitch and scuffles broke out after a 1-0 win secured England qualification for Euro 2013.
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"They are vile animals," Jones told Sky Sports.
"You don't wave at them after that. I thought it had gone out of our game.
"The authorities have to look at it and sort it. I'm talking about an incident when we should be talking about the football. We're talking about vile animals.
"That's what they are. We talk about racism, but that, we need to sort that.
"Chris Kirkland is feeling sore, if he had stayed down I wonder what would have
happened? They [Leeds United] should be punished."
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The two teams, both from Yorkshire, have a fierce rivalry and had not played at Hillsborough for six years.
"I felt embarrassed to be a manager when I saw that," said Leeds manager Neil Warnock.
"I thought it was an absolute disgrace. I think they should get the guy and prosecute him and put him in prison.
"He (Kirkland) went down like a ton of bricks but that doesn't make a difference. Nobody should be on the pitch doing that.
"I hope we can make an absolute issue of it. He spoiled everything for everyone. I've not enjoyed that when I see a moron like that.
"I am not proud of being Leeds manager when I see that. I don't mind the rivalry between us - there was a great atmosphere.
"To see things like that on the field of play there is no place for it - I am absolutely embarrassed."
In March 2007, Timothy Smith, was fined £300 and given a three-year Football Banning Order after running onto the field and attempting to punch Frank Lampard during Chelsea's FA Cup replay at Tottenham.
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And action is nearly certain to be taken against the offender with Leeds offering its full cooperation to ensure he is found.
It is now nearly a year since Chelsea lost to QPR 1-0 in an English Premier League game at Loftus Road. During the game it was alleged QPR defender Anton Ferdinand swore at John Terry and made reference to the Chelsea captain's reported affair with the ex-partner of former team-mate Wayne Bridge. Terry is then said to have described Ferdinand as a "f***ing black c***".
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The roof ot the national stadium in Warsaw remained open on Tuesday as heavy rain put pay to any hopes of England's World Cup qualifier against Poland taking place at the first time of asking.
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In a statement released after the game, Leeds said: "Leeds United Football Club would like to publicly apologise and condemn the action of the fan who came on the pitch and attacked Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.
The club will fully cooperate with the police and the football authorities in identifying the individual concerned.
"After the week football has endured there is no place for this type of behaviour and the majority of Leeds supporters will be ashamed of his actions."
Speaking after the incident, Chief Superintendent Jason Harwin of South Yorkshire Police said: "During tonight's match, Sheffield Wednesday versus Leeds United at Hillsborough, incidents occurred where it is believed seats and bottles were thrown inside the ground.
"We are also aware of an incident whereby the Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper has been assaulted by an individual who ran onto the pitch.
"Fans are still leaving the ground and surrounding areas and our priority is to ensure the safe departure of fans.
"Such incidents are not acceptable and won't be tolerated. We will be working with both clubs to identify and quickly bring to justice the persons responsible.
"Thankfully, such incidents are a rarity and we see a minority spoil it for the majority of genuine supporters.
"We are keen to hear from anyone that can help identify any person responsible for any of these incidents tonight."
Meanwhile, in Russia, Dynamo Moscow's players came under attack from fans using paintball guns at the club's training ground on Friday.
Fans arrived in camouflage at the club's training base in Novogorsk, just north of Moscow before unleashing a flurry of paintballs at the players.
Dynamo lost seven of its opening eight games before the arrival of new coach Dan Petrescu.
The former Chelsea defender has helped guide the club to 13th position in the league since taking over the reins.
"They are idiots," club president Gennady Solovyov told local media.
"I have no other words to describe those who could do such things. I promise I'll do my best to try to find and punish those responsible for these actions."
Dynamo midfielder Alan Gatagov added: 'I was hit in the back of the head when they shot at us. Lots of players were also hit.
'I just can't find the right words. What are we supposed to do now? Should each of us hire a personal bodyguard?'
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The Macedonia FA were fined $26,000 after fans racially abused England trio Ashley Cole, Sol Campbell and Emile Heskey during a qualifying game for Euro 2004.
In September 2011, Bulgaria were fined $55,000 after a small number of fans directed monkey chants at England's Ashley Young, Cole and Theo Walcott during a Euro 2012 qualifier in Sofia.
Russia was hit with a $38,000 punishment after supporters made monkey noises towards Czech Republic defender Theodor Gebre Selassie during Euro 2012
The Croatian FA were ordered to pay a $16,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of "displaying a racist banner and showing racist conduct during the Euro 2008 quarter-final tie against Turkey.
Russia were again in the news for the wrong reasons at Euro 2012 and were fined $39,00 for "the setting off and throwing of fireworks by Russia spectators, displaying of illicit banners and the invasion of the pitch by a supporter," during the Euro 2012 tie against Poland. Russia was also fined $155,000 after clashes between supporters and police during and after their game against the Czech Republic.
Denmark's Nicklas Bendtner was given a one-match ban and a $126,000 fine after he lifted his shirt to reveal a betting company's logo on his underwear while celebrating a goal against Portugal in a Euro 2012 group game.
Porto were hit by a $27,000 fine after their fans were found guilty of subjecting Manchester City forward Mario Balotelli to monkey chants during a Europa League game in February 2012. It took UEFA six weeks to finally hand out a punishment. But questions were raised after UEFA also fined City $40,000 after the club were found guilty of coming back out on to the field of play late after the halftime interval.
In July, Terry was cleared in a London court, where the criminal burden of proof is "beyond all reasonable doubt". But the English Football Association then investigated the case, and using the test of "on the balance of probabilities", came to the conclusion that Terry's defence against claims he racially abused Ferdinand was "improbable, implausible, contrived".
Back in September, Ferdinand had declined Terry's offer of a handshake when QPR met Chelsea at Loftus Road as the feud between the two players rumbled on.
After the FA delivered the independent commission's report on the Terry case, the Chelsea captain's teammate Ashley Cole tweeted: "Hahahahaa, well done #fa I lied did I, #BUNCHOFT***S". The Chelsea and England left-back quickly issued a "unreserved apology" for his tweet through his solicitor.
In 2011 the FA had to deal with another racism case, this time handing Liverpool striker Luis Suarez an eight-match ban and a $63,000 fine after finding the Uruguayan guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.
Suarez and Evra failed to shake hands before the start of an English Premier League game at Old Trafford last season after the Uruguayan had served his ban. However, when United beat Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield in September, the pair did shake hands.
In November 2011, FIFA president Sepp Blatter told CNN that football did not have a problem with racism on the field and any incidents should be settled by a handshake.
The FA's Independent Regulatory Commission heard 473 cases between December 2010 and December 2011, but only two of them ended in "not guilty" verdicts.
Stoke City boss Tony Pulis wants the Football Association to punish Liverpool's Luis Suarez for diving. "It's an embarrassment," said the Stoke manager after a 0-0 draw at Anfield. "The FA should be looking at this."
Each season anti-discrimination organisation Kick it Out holds a week of action to promote awareness about its anti-racism work. But Reading's Grenadian striker Jason Roberts, who has played in England for the last 15 years, has said he will not wear the Kick It Out T-shirt in protest at what he perceives to be the campaign group's lack of action in combating racism in football.
Lazio was hit with a $52,000 fine by UEFA following racist chanting by its supporters during the Europa League fixture with Tottenham last month. But leading figures within the games say it is time for clubs and countries to be banned from playing matches if they are found guilty of racist abuse.
On Thursday, Chelsea captain John Terry opted not to appeal the English Football Association's verdict that he racially abused Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
England manager Roy Hodgson speaks to a member of the Polish coaching staff as the rain continues to fall in Warsaw with the surface deemed to be unplayable.
Match referee Gianluca Rocchi tests out the sodden turf but any thoughts of play were soon abandoned with the ball refusing to roll.
Around 2,500 England supporters traveled to Warsaw with the large majority of those returning home without seeing a single kick. England's players have promised to contribute $80,000 towards compensating supporters, while the Polish FA will refund tickets.
England's Wayne Rooney scored his third goal in two games to give England a first-half lead after heading home Steven Gerrard's corner from close-range in Wednesday's hastily rearranged fixture.
England's Jermain Defoe shields the ball from Poland's Eugen Polanski during the World Cup qualifier in Warsaw. The Tottenham striker had a glorious opportunity to extend England's lead in the second-half but failed to hit the target from close-range.
Poland's Kamil Glick headed Poland level with 19 minutes remaining after an uncharacteristic error by England goalkeeper Joe Hart. It was no more than the home side deserved after dominating for large periods of the contest.
England's players looked dejected after they failed to hold on to their first-half lead in Warsaw. Roy Hodgson's men have now taken eight points from four games in Group H and sit one point clear of nearest rival Montenegro.
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