'Ashamed' Dublin says sorry for Savage butt

As contrite and calm as he was out of control when assaulting Birmingham City's Robbie Savage hours earlier, Dion Dublin sat alongside Graham Taylor yesterday as the Aston Villa manager condemned those who "let down" the club in a derby also marred by violence off the pitch.

Taylor, who had declined to comment in the immediate aftermath of Birmingham's 2-0 victory, was clearly still upset by the hostile atmosphere surrounding the clubs' first League meeting at Villa Park in 16 years, as well as by the recklessness of Dublin and his team-mate Joey Gudjonsson, who were both sent off.

"We let 40,000 people down with our lack of discipline," he said. "And we've let ourselves down as a club. We have gone all over the nation [on television] and yet the Birmingham coach couldn't leave until after 11pm. Innocent people were held up because of the things going on in the streets. I'm all for rivalry, but a line has to be drawn somewhere.

"The game was not an advert for the type of football or atmosphere I believe is right. The way it was played is not what I stand for. People have to be strong enough to say: 'Hold on, that can't be what it's about'."

Taylor said Dublin was "the last person" he would have expected to butt an opponent. "Dion has been so professional since I came back to this club. But he'll never be able to explain that to anybody."

Dublin, 34 next month, earlier called a meeting of players and staff to apologise. He confirmed there was no "racial element" in his fracas with Savage, adding: "I'm ashamed of myself. I've never done anything like that before. Where it came from, I don't know."

Chief Inspector Stephen Glover of the West Midlands Police said events on the pitch had "a bearing" on what happened off it. Two officers were injured by "missiles" while 40 arrests were made following a pitch invasion and fighting. The FA, which fined Birmingham £25,000 after hooliganism scarred September's 3-0 win over Villa, is to hold an inquiry.

Villa said they will ban for life any fan found to have invaded the pitch. A club statement read: "Any supporters arrested for encroachment on to the field of play will receive automatic bans while the club will also be working closely with West Midlands Police to identify other supporters involved in crowd disturbances in and around the stadium. Security had been heightened inside and outside Villa Park and both club and police were satisfied that the extra measures adopted ensured several threats to public order and safety inside the stadium were minimised."