I just think it is out of order for an ex player to be chatting on about points deductions. Would he have said that if it happened at Old Trafford, of course he wouldn't he'd have put his brain in gear in first. Would he have mentioned fencing if it was a Liverpool game, again i doubt it with out causing a fall out. But because it was the Midlands he thinks he can chat shhite. Let's not forget Neville used to purposely go to the home fan ends to goad supporters ie Man City, Liverpool. I think as a well paid presenter he has more responsibility than chatting emotional bolloxs.
If, nowadays, a footballer did what Cantona did, would his punishment have been harsher. If a supporter gets a 5 year ban from all stadiums would a player get the same?
Is it the same though, or is the point just flying over everyone's head? Cantona jumped into the crowd and kicked a (****ing scrote) bloke under some abuse. He was, as has been confirmed by a few sources, subjected to various types (including 'racist') of abuse as he walked off. Fan runs on the pitch and punches Grealish IS NOT the same. Sorry to point out the bleeding obvious like.
Birmingham City has said they will give the fan a life ban. In another report the fan has been named... https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/birmingham-city-fan-who-attacked-14114671
But Cantona is not the only one to commit such an act of violence, let's not forget this was in front of women and kids too. Nothing excuses a player from violence towards a football fan during a game. The standards are set on the pitch, and some players don't set very good standards, it can't be a one way street. But as i said, if this had been a fan at Old Trafford you wouldn't have heard a peep out of Neville over a points deduction. Not a bloody word, no sireeee.
It’s not a one way street but they aren’t the same offence just because they both happen on a football pitch.
This is the standard Mancheter United players set to all football fans on the pitch, they make violence appear acceptable, then ex players like Neville cry when it spills on to the pitch by fans...
It's not the same, what bit of that are you not getting? If a United supporter ran on a pitch and attacked a Liverpool player with no provocation whatsoever then, yes, of course the club would he brought to book. Obviously. And with absolute justification.
Would we hear Gary Neville bleating about a points deduction, no sireeee, the guy is an utter, utter dickhead.
Birmingham City should have a points deduction , end of. If a United fan did the same, I'd say the same. They haven't though.
I certainly think the football authorities should get their heads together and threaten point deductions in all future cases.
So if someone as a neutral gets a match day ticket and wanted to get a club a points deduction, just wear a Man U shirt while doing it. After all wouldn't be too difficult at United with all the tourists.
Just raising the question. I know they are different, Cantona was provoked etc, but both, in the end were acts of violence between supporter/player in a football arena. Do you think, in todays more sensitive snowflakey times, Cantona would have been more severely punished? Or was he punished too harshly at the time?
I disagree with points deductions. 1) you punish innocent fans and players and potentially cost non-playing staff jobs if it relegates a team. 2) if it costs a club a title or has some other serious effect on the club, you might as well give the guy a death sentence.
Good actual question. No, his punishment wasn't too harsh. I reckon it was just about right enough actually. Not that this is in any way just the same as a fan running on the pitch and twatting a player, unprovoked, of course.
You're right of course. It would be nice to threaten clubs with points deductions in order to prevent incidents like today. But if some idiot still does it enforcing the rule does sound unfair and cause other problems. How's about playing matches behind closed doors as a punishment?
