I wasn't sure whether to start a thread on this or not, but the football community as a whole should have an opinion on this. Personally, I know he said it so he shouldn't have been found not guilty. Not being sure if it was an insult when it can be taken no other way is a poor reason to find him not guilty. it's down to the FA to take a strong line now.
Look at the law. The magistrate wasn't a lay person but a District Judge. There was no issue that he said it, that's why the lip reading expert's evidence didn't matter in the end. There was a doubt in the Judge's mind as to whether it was said, as the Prosecution were saying, aggressively and abusively or whether it was said in the context of repeating what he thought he'd heard Ferdinand say. If there's a doubt, the Judge acquits, end of. My take on it is that Terry isn't inherently racist but probably did say the words abusively in response to Ferdinand's ridiculous winding up of him in relation to "shagging your mate's missus". Where's Ferdinand's prosecution for a public order offence if you want to start prosecuting players for what is said on the pitch? But because the word 'black' was clearly used it instantly becomes a political hot potato for the CPS. If they don't prosecute they're accused of being ambivalent to racism and if they do they're accused of being too politically correct by prosecuting something said in the heat of the moment in a high-stakes football match. Neither player has covered themselves in glory imo, and even though there was no evidence other than from Terry himself that he was only repeating something he thought Ferdinand had said, the Judge was faced with a guy wih no previous convictions (and therefore is more likely to be telling the truth than not) and a track record of being anything but a racist. In other words, right verdict on the evidence.
I could say a lot about this ... but I'm not. Both of the players should get over it .... from a pragmatic point of view, if you're going to start verbal **** in the middle of a match, whatever comes your way you had better be able to take regardless. Let's face, it, Terry could have kept his mouth shut, found just the right moment on a corner and made sure Ferdinand's nose ran into his elbow, such things do happen ... not politically correct either, but it would have caused far more damage than a few words ... and if done with a degree of finesse the referee would never have been any the wiser. Not condoning anybody's actions, but do we really have to spend so much time and money on something as ridiculous as this.
Racism is an important issue in football, YJ and like I said above the CPS were damned if they did and damned if they didn't. I know that once an allegation like this is made it's too politically charged for anyone to take some responsibility and take a decision on it. Such matters usually run their course, as here, and the courts have to decide. But let's face it, there was prima facie evidence of an offence being committed here, even though Ferdinand completely 'forgot' about his provocation of Terry until he got in the witness box. In those circumstances the CPS can only drop the case before trial on the grounds that it's not in the public interest to proceed (as you suggest). Unfortunately, when you're dealing with an allegation of racism, you won't find anyone brave enough anywhere in the CPS to grasp that nettle.
I hear you KJ - once you start down road's like this it's tough to keep common sense in front of you.
I'm not so sure this is the right verdict, seems to me he has had a lucky escape here, wonder if being the England Captain had anything to do with it, John Terry is not far behind that Idiot Barton at QPR in my view, and anyone reading the transcript of the proceedings, cannot come to any other conclusion, other than he has brought the game in to disrepute, and I hope that the FA take a much stronger view. This is not the first time that this idiot Terry, has dishonoured the game, and he is not fit to be captain in my view, what a contrast to David Beckham!...............
His defence did a great job, at the end of the day as KJ said its all down to proving in what context he said the words, how can you convict him if your not sure ?? Its ok for us and other people to say JT is a scum bag etc,etc but how do you really prove the things he said were meant in a racist tone? Anton Ferdinanad was just as guilty of verbal abuse by all accounts, would there be the same court case if john terry was called a "white **** " ?? im guessing there wouldn't be, i dont think JT is a racist person just lacks Brains, doesnt make it right but in this case he should be given the benifit of the doubt
They're all in the wrong here. Terry was a clown saying it Ferdinand was an idiot with what he said The off duty copper, a QPR fan who reported it needs his arse kicked too Waste of time and money and they all need to grow up
OK, so the consensus is that 'the Law' was followed in the sense that he may not have committed the crime - Aggravated racial abuse public order (blah, blah, blah). It then goes down to the FA. We have a generic situation on one hand. You cannot cross certain lines at work or you will trigger a disciplinary procedure. That applies to us all. Then we have the precedent set by the Suarez case. He also stated the context as his defence, but he had nowhere near the evidence against him. In fact it was only, "Sir, Sir, he called me a name!" If the FA follow the line the court took, this will all leave a very sour taste in a lot of mouths.
Terry was wrong, but heavily provoked. If the FA are going down that road they should discipline Ferdinand too.
I don't know if there is such a thing already, but the FA should ignore the elements of race since the court adjudicated that there was none involved and suspend them both equally for bringing the game into disrepute. No need to find fault one over the other, just the equivalent of banging both heads together and saying play nicely from now on.
Never had any respect for Terry long before this fiasco , this latest racism charge only proves to me I'm right about Terry .
too many black players always take the poor me attitude when abused but they can give it, not take it
In all criminal courts in this country a defendant is found guilty only if the court is sure of guilt. If there is reasonable doubt then the defendant is entitled to be acquitted. The Football Association’s tribunal system requires a very different standard of proof. Football justice is considered on the balance of probabilities, a fact that will weigh heavily on the former England captain. Indeed, Carter-Stephenson’s “criminal standard” defence and Riddle’s judgment together invite the case to be reconsidered under football’s disciplinary processes. “It is clear that the prosecution has built a strong case,” wrote Riddle. “I had no hesitation in refusing [the defence’s] submission of no-case-to-answer based on those facts.” So for all the reasonable doubt that saved him there was reasonable suspicion to try Terry and that is the balance that football must now consider. We can only hope the trauma of the past week, the agony of being stripped of the England captaincy, the embarrassment of hearing what is coyly referred to as his “industrial language” repeated at length in a public court might give him pause to reflect on his use of such terminology. I hope the FA deal very firm with him, he has a history of bringing the game into disrepute, and the sooner he's gone from it the better. 1) 2001 Sept. day after the September 11 attacks, Terry was accused of drunkenly mocking American tourists. Fined two weeks wages. 2) 2002 Jan. Assault and affray night club doorman, suspended from England duty and missed 2002 world cup 3) 2002 Feb. Caught on camera urinating into a beer glass and dropping it onto the floor of a Essex night club 4) 2004 Nov. Red carded for abusing Ledley King, and later fined £10,000.00 for inappropriate conduct 5) 2008 Mar. Fined £60 for parking his Bentley in a disabled bay, same month his mother, and mother in law where both cautioned for shop lifting. 6) 2009 His father cought drug dealing in Essex pub, given 6 months suspended sentance. 7) 2009 Dec, Investigated by Chelsea FC & the FA, for accepting £10,000 in £50 notes for showing a reporter round chelsea training ground without permission. 8) 2010 Jan. The Wayne Bridge Debacle, 4 month affair with Vanessa Perroncel, Scandel led to him being stripped of Endland captaincy by Capello. 9) 2011 Oct. Charged with Racial abuse, investigated by police and FA, stripped of England Captaincy a second time, get's off on a technicality. What a role model for our youngsters aye, the guy is a scumbag of the highest order, and if the FA have any balls, they throw the book at him. total disgrace to the game, and as I've said before, he was lucky to get away with this racial case. ..............
I'm not defending him here dragon, but how many people get fined for parking cars where they shouldn't ? And the actions of his relatives are nothing to do with him, unless you are suggesting he was involved ? He has a track record but keep it to him, and I would think that extra marital affairs are not exclusively the remit of a football player, they happen everywhere
He's an idiot just like barton, but I know plenty of idiots who would put those two to shame, they have run ins with the law or their works and think nothing of it. Just to put into context that is all
