LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand was dripping with blood Sunday, the latest incident that has English soccer authorities fearing a return to a less civil past.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter praised the country’s fans last month as positive examples for the world. But unrest at globally televised Premier League matches is reviving memories of the hostilities in the 1970s and 80s.

“To see Rio Ferdinand with blood on his face is absolutely terrible,” English Football Association chairman David Bernstein said Monday. “I think it’s disturbing that we’re seeing a recurrence of these types of incidents.

“We’ve had racial abuse issues, the odd pitch incursion, things being thrown at players. It’s very unacceptable and has to be dealt with severely.”

Prosecutors acted swiftly Monday to charge nine men in connection with disorder at the match that Manchester United won 3-2 at Manchester City.

They included the fan who ran onto the field to confront Ferdinand after the bloodied United defender had been struck by a coin during the celebration of Robin van Persie’s winning goal in stoppage time. Officers say they heard another fan hurling racial insults at the Etihad Stadium, and that person will also go to court.

On Saturday, Norwich’s 4-3 victory at Swansea was overshadowed by the arrest of a man for allegedly racially abusing Canaries defender Sebastien Bassong, one of four cases of apparent racism directed at the Cameroon center back in the past two weeks.

“It’s very disappointing. So much of football is so good. Great things are happening in football as a whole, but these odd incidents get the headlines ― and understandably because they are serious matters. They are unforgivable things,” Bernstein said on Sky Sports television.

“When you think of the millions watching football every week, or involved in football, to see it hijacked by these incidents is awful, so we have to deal with it in the strongest way we can.”