Birmingham fans ran onto the field and threw flares at rival supporters following Wednesday's League Cup quarterfinal win over Aston Villa in violent scenes, just a day before FIFA's executive committee votes on whether to award England the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
Villa supporters responded by ripping up seats and threw them onto the St. Andrews pitch.
The violence was reminiscent of that which marred English football through the 1970s and '80s, but Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said the violence should not affect Thursday's World Cup vote in Zurich.
"Fans shouldn't come on to the pitch at any time. It soured it a bit for us," McLeish said. "I don't think that will affect the World Cup bid. I'm sure that's already decided, and let's hope England gets it because it deserves it.
"It doesn't look good, though, when you see fans running on the pitch like that and carrying on. It takes us back to the Dark Ages."
Police issued a statement referring to the violence as "sporadic outbreaks of disorder at the Birmingham derby."
Some matches between local or historic rivals in England can still attract fans intent on disorder.
But the number of arrests by police at all domestic and international football matches in England and Wales fell 10 percent last season.
