In handing down the governing body’s verdict today, FFA chief executive David Gallop found the ladder-leading Wanderers guilty of bringing the game into disrepute via the “coordinated misconduct” of a section of away fans at Etihad Stadium.

“The misconduct was not only dangerous and threatening, but the coordinated and calculated way the fans behaved was a serious blight on the reputation of football and everyone involved in our game including clubs, members, fans, players and officials,” Gallop said.

The sanctions, he added, had been issued after taking into consideration both the seriousness of the incidents, but also the Wanderers’ commitment to implement a clear strategy to identify and exclude troublesome fans in the future.

But the punishment has the potential to jeopardise the Wanderers’ A-League premiership push, as Tony Popovic’s side are first only on goal difference ahead of Brisbane.

Gallop said where a serious incident occurs over the next 12 months that FFA determines should trigger the suspended sanction, the club will immediately be stripped of the three points.

He said it was “difficult to be prescriptive” on what would be considered a severe enough incident for that to happen.

FFA also announced it will be formulating a national flare management policy as part of the reviewed fan banning process to be considered by the FFA Board at a scheduled meeting next week.

The ruling came despite the club’s strident defence, with chief executive John Tsatsimas saying their submission outlined a number of methods they felt might help eliminate pyrotechnic displays like the one that halted Saturday night’s clash with Melbourne Victory at Etihad Stadium.

The flares and detonators, ignited inside the Wanderers’ away bay, infuriated the FFA and swept the governing body into action against a club that had already weathered its fair share of storms over the behaviour of its fan base.

Tsatsimas has pinpointed the problem at away matches, where any member of the public can buy tickets for the designated supporters’ bays, as opposed to home games where only members are able to enter the Red and Black Bloc (RBB) section.

But while roundly condemning the actions of a few, he argued it would be “totally unfair” for FFA to inflict collateral damage on Tony Popovic’s A-League leaders.

“We defend all the efforts undertaken by those involved in the club who are good people – the fans, our members, players, coaches, staff and board,” Tsatsimas said.

“They’ve done nothing wrong in this instance, and penalising the club doesn’t eradicate the problem.

“The problem is not within the club. It’s people using the club from an external basis for their own personal narcissistic pursuits.

“It’s totally unfair – I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

-AAP