AN Arsenal fans' representative has called on the Football Association to hit Emmanuel Adebayor hard for the two incidents which marred Manchester City's 4-2 win over the Gunners yesterday.
Adebayor, who enjoyed a fractious relationship with the fans towards the end of his time at the Emirates, sprinted the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the away end following his goal for City and also appeared to stamp on the face of former strike partner Robin van Persie.
FA chief executive Ian Whatmore has vowed to look at each incident closely and Terry Milner, secretary of Arsenal's north-west supporters' club, has called for a hefty punishment.
Milner, who was in the visiting end as Adebayor taunted the fans, said: "My feelings towards this is that it proves how little class he has about him. It was pre-planned, there was no way that was off the cuff.
"I understand that some fans have booed and jeered him and I saw things been thrown on the pitch, plastic chairs and stuff, which was wrong. But what the hell was he doing?
"He is earning, reportedly, £180,000 a week and he should be able to rise above booing and name calling.
"If you gave me £180,000 a week you could call me anything you wanted."
Reflecting on the possibility of an FA charge, he added: "I hope they don't put the two incidents together and effectively let him off with one.
"What he did to Van Persie was assault and that along probably deserves a five-match ban. Then there's the fans incident. I think Gary Neville was charged for something similar against Liverpool a few years back so there's that too."
Milner also said there could be potential trouble down the line, if and when Adebayor comes to the Emirates with his new club.
"If he does, I hope nothing happens but it would not surprise me if someone tried to get on the pitch. They'd be banned for life of course but they might think it was worth it."
Meanwhile, Dave Berry, a lifelong Arsenal fan who was also at the game, believes the boisterous element of travelling fans must take a share of the blame for inviting trouble.
"I've been watching Arsenal for nearly 50 years and I've seen all this before, I was going in the 70s and 80s when it was bedlam. At times it was a war zone," he said.
"It's not an excuse but sometimes drink takes over, alcohol before the game is a big problem. Maybe fans could conduct themselves a little bit better at times.
"He was certainly out of order but maybe some of our fans were out of order too.
"Ban him for the tackle (on Van Persie) by all means but for the celebration, give him a big fine and put that into grassroots football."
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporter's Federation, bemoaned the possible effects of Adebayor's actions in the wake of the recent fan trouble between West Ham and Millwall.
"The kindest thing you could say about this is that it was unwise," he said.
"It was a very silly thing to do. It's likely to add to the risk of incidents in the future and it doesn't help eliminate the elements of disorder.
"I think most supporters, particularly following the West Ham and Millwall situation, would agree that this was a very unwise thing to do.
"Footballers get paid a lot of money to perform on a public stage so it is not realistic to judge players and fans on the same standards."
Arsenal fans want Adebayor ban
September 13, 2009
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"He is earning, reportedly, £180,000 a week and he should be able to rise above booing and name calling.
"If you gave me £180,000 a week you could call me anything you wanted."
Does this include racist comments? I think not. Does it include the throwing of missiles on to the pitch? I think not. Will Arsenal be censured for the behaviour of their fans? They should be. Get the lawyers in City.
It was one of the most entertaining City games I have been to in years. The celebration was full of passion and the City fans around me were enjoying the moment and laughing. He deserved his moment to say to the Arsenal fans, "Look a what you are missing". After all they drove him out.
The Arsenal fans are animals and we should ban all of them from football matches. Whilst Adebayor was out of line, City fans didn't react the same way when Van Persie hurled expletives at them after scoring his goal. City fans conceded it with dignity. All things equal, Van Persie should also be banned.
gary neville only got fined 5000 pound for what he did, so why should ade get banned!!
gary neville only got a 5 grand fine!!!
Shocking, what babies Arsenal really are! It's fine for Rvp to try his best to take Ade out aswell as celebrate infront of our fans whilst screaming obscenities but Ade takes the blame for some thug assaulting a steward, even though he didn't scream or shout just simply kneel infront of them.
YES adebayor was ott and well deserved his booking and the stomp if seen would have been a red although the challenge by Rvp should also have been a red so for me it's all sour grapes and 6 for one and half a dozen the other but imo if Adebayor has the book thrown at him, then Rvp should also aswell as the thugs throwing missiles be given banning orders.
Rick
And City fans just want 3 points without blowing everything out of proportion....
As Jason Cundy said...
He celebrated in front of the fans SO WHAT!!!!!!!!!
He isnt the first to do it and wont be last
Get off his back and give him some credit for his footballing performance, review the kicking incident by all means, probably a 2 match ban at worse... Then do the same with the real CHEATS of the game ie DIVERS that are prevelent at the so called BIG 4......
Now then, think everyone needs to calm down a little. Yes, running full length of the pitch was not the brightest thing to do, but in the heat of the moment I would suggest most city fans got carried along with it. The noise was deafning when that gaol went in.
Now lets look at yesteday with a clear head. Arsenal have never really been one of the loudest set of fans to visit the coms. However at 2pm yesterday those in the ground were in full cry with their anti Ade songs, which of course they are fully entitled to do. It is also a clear fact that the angel V Persie clearly ran towards the City fans after scoring his goal. Later on MOTD it was very easy to read his lips with the antagonistic expletive he used several times. At no time did a City fan attempt to get onto the pitch and this has been missed from any commentators. V Persie also engaged with supporters behind the goal while Shay was injured, dont suppose he needs to look at his own classless actions then? This guy was up for a confrontation with Ade anyway as there is clearly no love lost between them.
Talk of trouble down the line from Arsenal supporters is cranking this up to levels not necessary, bearing in mind the timing of our away trip next year. This also has absolutely nothing to do with WHU v Millwall either , so lets not make it out to be more than it really was. Ultimately though, this has been wonderful for Arsenal as they can hide behind the fact that they were soundly beaten by City and indicates that we have well and truly arrived and are a force to be reckoned with.
The Arsenal fans need to take a good, hard, long look at themselves before demanding retribution. They were the ones constantly shouting obscene abuse towards Ade throughout the game. He celebrated his goal virtually between the City fans on the corner and the Arsenal fans and also he never left the field of play. Is Terry Milner going to call for their supporters who injured a steward and others who caused trouble to also face disciplinary action, I doubt it. I have not seen the replay of the takle on va Persie and so cannot comment on that.
However it's the Arsenal fans who are guilty of inciting trouble!
"Milner also warned of potential trouble down the line, if Adebayor comes to the Emirates with his new club.
"There was a similar situation when Ashley Cole left, he didn't come back the first opportunity he had," he said.
"If he does, I hope nothing happens but it would not surprise me if someone tried to get on the pitch. They'd be banned for life of course but they might think it was worth it."
Err excuse me? That sounds a lot like a threat to me.
If Arsenal fans can't control themselves then it is Arsenal's responsibility to make sure they don't get into the stadium. The idea that a player running up and sliding in front of you is justification for hurling missiles and putting someone in hospital was outrageous. The idea that a player just turning up to play is similar provocation is well, it beggars belief.
I seem to remember getting Arsenal fans out of the Emirates can be accomplished quite effeciently. United did it very effectively in a Champions League clash last year. So hopefully it won't be a problem.
lets get this right arsenal fans want him banned because he is doing well for us thats the only reason they had a go at him all last season so now when he scores agaisnt them they want him banned get real
"He is earning, reportedly, £180,000 a week and he should be able to rise above booing and name calling.
"If you gave me £180,000 a week you could call me anything you wanted."
Does this include racist comments? I think not. Does it include the throwing of missiles on to the pitch? I think not. Will Arsenal be censured for the behaviour of their fans? They should be. Get the lawyers in City.
Batmanho, Robinhos big brother, Bat Cave, Brazil
13/09/2009 at 15:14
Sums it up nicely for me, cheers Batmanho.
RACIAL ABUSE to Ade & his mother was rife from the arsenal fans yesterday, so please do not try to swich the blame thats a poor poor excuse mr milner & you know it you were in the crowd,i was in the south stand right next to your so called supporters, & for you to be a chairman of the northern supporters club you should be campaigning against it NOT condoneing it, you should be ashamed the whole lot of you, its people like you that give the game a bad name. CFL BELEIVE.
Find and ban the idiot who threw the missle that injured the steward,if you cant ban Arsenal fans from travelling...two wrongs dont make a right...good goal wasnt it ha ha
Arsenal fans are a pretty filthy bunch in general - one of the more myopic bunch which is an awful waste given the football they've had to feast on, but then (again in general) they don't seem to like their manager too much either!
I'd be surprised given precedent (Neville case) & the fact that Adebayor was booked he will be given anything more than a fine for the gloating - and it ought to be substantial as he can afford it.
For the foul, he will get a ban equivalent to sending off (unlike Shearer those years back when he was due to play for England!). On the basis of precedent (SWP @ Stoke last year?) Van Persie will be banned too - I don't think his website statement ought to cover up what he tried to do in the first place.
Wasn't it the Arsenal fans who threw objects and a chair onto the pitch, whilst also injuring a steward?
The Arsenal fans should look at themselves and their own behavior. A player taunting them is no excuse to behave the way they did.
Blue Meanie you are absolutely spot on. Arsenal fans were a disgrace and should be ashamed of their behaviour towards Addy. Is ther only you and I that saw Van Persie mouthing expletives at us City fans and he will probably get away with it. Addy celebrated so what!!!! Why didnt the stewards/police intervene when Addy when was continually getting abuse from the Arsenal fans.
WELCOME CITY AND YOUR FANS TO THE 'REAL' WORLD OF TOP FLIGHT FOOTBALL - IF YOU COURT PLAYERS OTHERS SIDES DONT WANT - YOU REAP THE REWARDS !! PITY A GREAT GAME WAS RUINED BY A THUG !!
Can the FA do anything, didn’t Ade get a yellow card? I thought they could only act on things the ref didn’t see.
Terry Milner needs to get back to planet earth, he needs to take a good long hard look at the Arsenal fans behaviour. They were the ones who incited trouble and the ones who made trouble!
"Footballers get paid a lot of money to perform on a public stage so it is not realistic to judge players and fans on the same standards." What a crass statement to make, how much one earns, or does not excuse the Arsenal fans, that statement is hypocitical at best. Ade was booked and therefore further punishment should not be exacted retrospectively. Ade never left the field of play in his goal celebration.
I think the stewards should have thrown out a couple of Arsenal fans they saw making racist chants. Maybe that would have stopped the rest, and if it didn't then throw more out.
I think they will throw the book at him for this. But if it was United or Liverpool, they would just get a fine.
The kicking incident - only Ade knows if it was deliberate, but TV evidence will probably go against him. Its obvious Van Persie had his own agenda today, like he accused Ade of having.
manu was correctly booked for one incident and should not be double punished. both he and van persie who firstly ran to city fans to celebrate his goal and then commited a studs up and two footed challenge should be investigated, thirdly any fan who condones pitch invasion is a disgrace arsenal ground should be closed if their fans are uncontrollable
If the authorities do ban Ade then Robin van Persie should be banned too. He did a lot worse in that he ran over to the City fans screaming
Is it a general requirement to be a sanctimonious hypocrite to be a Gooner?
Addy was taunted from the moment he entered the field of play! FACT! He did celebrate in front of the arsenal fans, but he never left the field of play.These yobs then started fighting amongst themselves and throwing objects at addy.FACT!
Whilst it may have been a tad stupid, i can guarantee that even if he had celebrated in front of the city fans, these ferrel yobs would have still been up for it.
So when an arsenal fans representative would like addy banned then while were at it the arsenal fans should be banned from travelling away from home.
So whilst addy may have been stupid, it has happened many many times before gary neville (liverpool) rooney at city last year.Addy did not do any more than celebrate whilst these yobs were fighting and throwing missiles.
So my letter to the F.A would be use your bloody nouse! something they do not normally have.
CTID