Well the Mags may bury their heads when it come to fan conduct but I certainly don't. I'm glad this lad has been made an example of as there's no place for it at our club and I urge anyone who sees or hears any racism this season to stand up to these morons and notify a steward. Remember, don't get drawn into a slanging match with the scumbags. All clubs have these idiots but it's down to us to make a stand if we see any racism. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-monkey-gesture-at-romela-lukaku-8746376.html A fan who made a monkey gesture when an opposing striker scored against his Premier League team has been handed a three-year football banning order. Liam Jones, 22, was given an 18-month conditional discharge after he admitted causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress while watching his team Sunderland lose to West Brom at the Stadium of Light in November. Sunderland lost the game 4-2 and Jones, from East Vines, Hendon, was photographed in the stands making a monkey gesture towards the Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku who had just scored. As the player was snapped leaping in celebration, Jones could be seen out of his seat, in a grey flat cap, shouting at the striker with his hands cupped towards his armpits. He later told reporters he was doing a âchicken danceâ and pleaded not guilty to the charge when it came before Sunderland magistrates. A trial had been due to take place next month but at a hearing last week Jones entered a guilty plea. Court officials have confirmed he was handed a three year football banning order and an 18-month conditional discharge. Following a previous court hearing, Jones made as if he was going to spit at photographers waiting outside. After the case, Chief Superintendent Steve Neill of Northumbria Police, said: âRacist behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated and Northumbria Police will fully investigate any reports made to us. âWe know people who are responsible for these actions are part of a small minority and would continue to encourage anyone who sees this kind of behaviour to report it to us and help us rid football of any racism.â
I honestly thought the visual evidence against him was very subjective at best, and very surprised that he has been found guilty because of it. However, I do agree that there is no place for racist behaviour in football, and I for one have had words with people sitting near me who I thought had crossed the line..
Daft thing is, the bloke wouldn't dream of racially insulting Lukaku if he played for us. Giving opposing players stick is fine, but not in certain ways.
I for one think that there's no place for racist behaviour anywhere. If he pleaded guilty / was guilty then he deserves his punishment.
I wasn't trying to stick up for him, but just thought that the photographic evidence was flimsy for a conviction..
Spot on I certainly would not mind this young man being in our team...yes by all means vent your anger against the oppo's player but racist monkey chants...just think how the black lads in our team regarded this.
He claims he was doing the chicken dance?!! That must be the most god-awful lying excuse I've heard in a long while... Glad to see he got a somewhat lengthy ban although I might have expected it to be even longer.
I've never buried my head over ANY fan misbehaving weather it be a Toon lad punching horses or A Mackem throwing a flare. There's no place in football for thugs or racists no matter what shirt they wear.
Classic song, deemed slightly racist by todays standards? [video=youtube;ReQsRgQXgQY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReQsRgQXgQY[/video]
No place for racists int he modern world let alone football. Glad he has been banned and hope he never comes back as we dont need him. However, we shouldn't dwell on what is not the norm at the club these days (it was when I was a lad back int he 70's and 80's) and should congratulate the fact we can get rid of it much more easily now. That said I do not agree with the latest 'app' released this week in which people can anonymously shop fellow fans without fear of repercussions? Its altogether the wrong kind of world I want to live in where faceless and responsibility-less accusation and finger pointing can occur. No to racism and no to big brother tactics at football matches.
