Sixteen people were arrested when hundreds of angry Stoke City football fans invaded the pitch and stole the match ball after watching their side lose 7-0.

Staffordshire Police said 16 Stoke supporters were detained after 900 of the first division club's fans streamed on to the pitch to chant for the ousting of chairman Peter Coates.

Many had to be restrained by police and stewards at Stoke's Britannia Stadium as they attempted to storm the West Stand, where minor damage was done to an executive suite, following the defeat by Birmingham City.

Eleven men were arrested inside the ground and five others outside as 100 officers and 10 horses were deployed to disperse irate fans, said a Staffordshire Police spokesman.

Fifteen of those arrested had been charged with a variety of offences, including public order and assault, and bailed to appear in court on various dates in February.

Chief Inspector Mick Giannasi said a 17-year-old local youth who was arrested outside the ground had been cautioned for stealing the match ball.

Stoke soundly defeated

Birmingham were in irresistible form as Paul Furlong scored a hat-trick. Their unbeaten run now stretches to eight games, including six victories.

Stoke, now without a win in 10 games, were stunned as the Blues surged into a commanding lead with two goals by Bryan Hughes inside nine minutes.

The opener arrived in the fourth minute when Furlong crossed low from the right and Hughes flicked the ball in. It was soon 2-0 when Hughes cut inside Andrew Griffin and smashed a 20-yard drive.

Strong pressure

The visitors looked dangerous every time they attacked a shambolic home defence and Nicky Forster struck their third in the 26th minute.

There appeared little danger when Forster collected the ball 25 yards out, but he skipped past a challenge from Steve Tweed to place a low shot past Muggleton.

Stoke, in desperate search of a lifeline, mounted strong pressure as half time approached, but Steve Bruce led by example in a solid Birmingham rearguard.

Stoke made a double substitution at the break, bringing on Marco Gabbiadini and Ray Wallace for Paul Stewart and Kofi Nyamah.

But they went four down in the 50th minute when Hughes outjumped Tweed and Furlong hammered in from 10 yards.

Fans ejected

It became a rout in the 56th minute as Jon McCarthy ghosted onto a throw in from Jonathan Bass to drill an angled drive into the roof of the net.

It was too much to take for some Stoke fans with several ejected after running onto the pitch.

But worse followed in the 69th minute when Forster sprinted half the length of the field to lay on Furlong to fire a sixth.

Furlong completed his hat-trick and Stoke's misery by chipping the seventh three minutes from time.

Birmingham manager Trevor Francis paid tribute to his whole side. "It was a remarkable performance," he said.

"Crushing defeat"

"I have never been involved in a 7-0 away win before as a player or as a manager.

"The players made me proud. They were running as hard in the last five minutes as they were in the first five minutes. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Stoke manager Chic Bates later emerged and said: "It was a crushing defeat and an unbelievable scoreline, but it happened and we've got to stand up and be counted.

"I feel pressure after a result like that but we must now prepare for Tuesday's FA Cup tie at West Brom. The lads are down and it's my job to lift them.

"As for the fans, they are football enthusiasts and want to see a winning team. When the score gets out of hand like that you can see their reaction."

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