WELL done, idiots.

After months of careful negotiation to find a way through the impasse between FFA and active supporter groups, a small number of Western Sydney Wanderers “supporters” effectively gave David Gallop a slap in the face on Saturday night.

19 flares created smoke so thick, referee Ben Williams had no option but to stop the game for a while. The ramifications are likely to be considerable for Wanderers as a club, who must be at their wits end as to how to rid themselves of this rogue element.

But no matter what punishment FFA imposes on the club, do you think these miscreants will care? Not a jot.

These idiots have no love for football, and worse, no respect for those around them. In case they didn’t know, 25,000-odd other people paid good money to watch the top of the table clash. What right did a few of them have to hold the majority hostage for their display of petulance? Absolutely none.

Adam Peacock, Simon Hill and Chad Gibson provide a thorough, passionate analysis of the issue in this week’s Fox Football Podcast.

WANDERERS CEO SPEAKS OUT STRONGLY: We won’t tolerate these people

What’s worse, is that yet again they have opened the door for an uninformed media debate regarding football, from those whose only interest in the game is seeing it fail.

Many in the football media - myself included - were more than willing to defend the fans in the fallout from last years problems. I even attacked David Gallop in one of my articles for not having the guts to stand up for the 99.9% of supporters who behave impeccably at football grounds every week.

I stand by those comments. The one-sided rubbish that masquerades as opinion from many in the mainstream media (who wouldn’t know a proper-shaped football if it hit them on the backside), was mainly agenda-driven drivel, designed to paint the sport itself in a bad light - and their own preferred code in a better one into the bargain.

We made progress during that debate. Opinions were examined more critically, and those who despise football were rightly hung out to dry for some pretty atrocious reportage, in which they (again) identified football as being the problem, instead of those individuals who break the law. I’d do the same thing again tomorrow, especially if (as seems likely), it leads to a fair and proper appeals process for those who feel they have been unfairly banned.

That’s demanding justice, insisting upon proper context, and defending peoples rights in an ordered society.

Wanderers fans in the crowd let off flares as police officers look on. Source: Getty Images

But I can’t defend what happened on Saturday night. No-one can.

Flares are against the law - that’s the truth of it. Whatever you think of that particular piece of legislation, it’s a fact. So why do it? To get one over security? To make a point? To be a wannabe-ultra hooligan so you can brag to your mates about how tough you are?

Pathetic. Childish, immature, self-important, self-indulgent, anti-social, selfish and - crucially - illegal behaviour. They should hang their heads in shame.

Incredibly, some (on social media apparently), have sought to defend the lighting of flares, arguing that it’s the law that needs be changed.

Well then, here’s the rub, flare-lovers. We live in a democracy. Organize yourselves a protest march - go down to Martin Place in Sydney, or Fed Square in Melbourne, or on the lawn outside Parliament in Canberra, and make your feelings heard, in the way normal people do when they want change.

Wanderers fans in the crowd let off flares as police officers look on. Source: Getty Images

But you can’t take the law into your own hands - and football doesn’t want to be used as a vehicle for your views thanks very much. It’s not all about you.

They won’t take to the streets in protest of course. This is not about flares per se, it’s about public disorder, of cocking a snook at authority, of sticking two fingers up at FFA, who have tried to negotiate with active fans in good faith, based upon good will on both sides.

All that good will literally went up in smoke on Saturday. Now, the question is, what does FFA deem to be a proper sanction?

Wanderers fans in the crowd let off flares. Source: Getty Images

A fine? A points deduction? Games behind closed doors? All options are on the table, and while the good people who work at the Wanderers (and the vast majority of their supporters) don’t deserve any of them, the moronic actions of a few make a stiff punishment not only likely, but utterly necessary.

Let’s hope they catch those who did the damage and give them bans; not just for a year, but for life. In my opinion, the club - perhaps through Tony Popovic - must also make a public statement condemning the actions of those who claim to represent their club.

Why? Because the stain those “fans” left on the game on Saturday put us back in the dark ages, just when we were emerging back into the light.

As I said, well done idiots.