“WE have had no issues with the new segregation and we have had positive feedback from supporters in that area and consider this issue to now be resolved,” boasted one of the suits at West Ham United ahead of Wednesday night’s EFL Cup tie against Chelsea.

Oh dear.

I know I speak with the benefit of hindsight but, given what went on between the two sets of ‘supporters’, or more accurately between the idiot element that, thankfully, is a minority, that statement seems awfully hollow, even laughable, had it not been rendered ridiculous by such distasteful scenes at the London Stadium.

The Hammers apparently had a robust policing plan, and were happy to harp on about its robustness earlier in the week but, in the event, riot police were called in and local residents wearily went about their business, once again in despair as the area was left looking like a bomb site.

It is hard not to sympathise with Stratford locals. They never signed up to have neighbours whose new home appears unable to provide a secure, segregated environment for supporters.

It is equally difficult not to feel for Slaven Bilic. His side had just won what was, by all accounts, an exciting cup-tie against local rivals but who will remember the night for any of the on-field action?

The manager even had to bark orders at Aaron Cresswell who was so busy watching the trouble escalate he forgot about being a footballer.

Instead of basking in post-derby victory interviews poor Bilic was then quizzed about the morons throwing coins, bottles and seats, freshly ripped from their fixings to be transformed into weapons. I hope the grown men who hit one female fan with coins – seven, almost a coin for every year the eight-year-old has been alive – are proud of their brave efforts.

The club’s players initially struggled to settle into the former Olympic Stadium but are looking more at home with every passing game. But the chirpy cockneys following them seem more intent on ripping the place to shreds to recreate scenes from decades ago, ones we do not wish to return to.

The stadium, it seems, is unfit for purpose, as far as keeping opposing idiots apart is concerned.

With concourses offering easy access and stewards shockingly outnumbered it is all too simple for the violent simpletons to bridge the gap and get at the opposing fans.

Wednesday’s attendance was more than 10,000 down on what West Ham can normally expect for a league game. Maybe that was partly due to the trophy’s current standing, which is dropping all the time, although packing out the place for such a fevered London rivalry as that they enjoy – or endure – with Chelsea should not be too much of a stretch, even in midweek. It is more to do with the sickening violence I believe prompts many to stay away.

Why would any right-minded parent want to subject their young ‘un to the perils involved in such a cauldron without the proper security measures in place?

I just hope as many of those responsible as possible are caught and severely dealt with.