City set for Adebayor defence

Stuart Brennan

September 30, 2009

FLASH POINT: Emmanuel Adebayor celebrating against Arsenal

CITY will use Gary Neville's derby 'warning' as evidence in a robust defence of Emmanuel Adebayor at Thursday's disciplinary hearing.

The Blues will fight any attempt to add to the three-match ban which the striker completed this week, and point to the knuckle rap handed out to the United defender for a similar offence.

Neville ran towards City fans to celebrate the Reds' added time winner at Old Trafford last week, but was let off with a warning.

That was despite the fact that Neville was fined £5,000 for the same offence as United beat Liverpool in 2006.

Adebayor, his lawyer and club officials will attend the London hearing, and will contest any attempt to suspend the player - although a fine or other sanction would be accepted.

Any ban would begin immediately, meaning Adebayor would miss Monday's trip to Aston Villa at the least.

Adebayor ran the length of the field after scoring against former club Arsenal before sliding on his knees in front of visiting fans, leading to ugly scenes which caused minor injury to a steward.

City will also highlight the behaviour of the Arsenal fans in subjecting Adebayor to highly personal abuse before and during the game.

Manager Mark Hughes will not be at the hearing but he has backed his player, saying: "We hope Manu won't get any more matches - we don't think that he should."

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Bluekev, Stockport (30/09/2009 at 09:04)

I hope they also highlight the behaviour of Van Persie when celebrating his goal , for which he only got a warning about his future conduct

dr.spock, sweden (30/09/2009 at 09:19)

Rvp is a dirty player ! his faouls against olympiacos yesterday was just that..dirty

jerseyblue, jersey (30/09/2009 at 09:21)

£10k fine and a warning........he wont get banned.

Our superman must be intelligent he wears his underpants inside his shorts., South Africa (30/09/2009 at 09:36)

I agree he should fight it... I mean really all he did wrong, was run upto the Arsenal fans. His celebration from the run up was mediocre in that he stayed inside the confinds of the pitch and didn't abuse the Arsenal fans. Further more his passion and emotion got the better of him after a hard time from fans remarks and nasty comments from training though the whoe game. The only thing that Ade did differently to all those players that cup their ears or put a finger up to their lips as if to hush the fans was run 90 yards. Nothing gets done about players cupping ears or hushing the crowd, does it!. I think now the F.A should just put this to bed now and let the player, get on with what he is paid to do. If Ade gets another ban it will only solidify that fact we are Man City and therefore a scapegoat for all to see. Personally this will make Man City a much better side as we have shown in recent games that we can pull together as a strong unit and under no circumstances let the F.A.s decisions stop us. He served his time for the RVP incident and I see that MH is going to use Nevilles celebration in our favour. I personally do not think it will be a ban! or even a fine, I think he will get a warning and that if his behavior doesn't improve then charges may b brought in the future.

But we are Man city and nothing is as ever clear cut for us when the F.A are involved.

Too add something way off what this article is about, I was looking at our fixtures and evaluating our games and points we could possibly get. I was please to see that up till the Chelsea game we should gain 80% of the points on offer and clearly put us in contention for a top 3 place. December is a good month for us too and I see 80% of points there too, so who knows come January! We are looking good and I would love to see my "Beloved Manchester City" playing champions league football next season.

Future look bright, it definately looks Blue!!

bluemoon risin' (30/09/2009 at 09:46)

If Adebayor gets punished further then i think the real reason will be to try and stop[at any cost] MCFC breaking into the 'top four' cartel, over any further ban imposed on him. A warning will suffice but... we'll see.

big blumer, cheltenham (30/09/2009 at 09:46)

why should he get any punishment???? take out the animal like reaction of the morons from arsenal and what did he do wrong, ooh he ran the length of OUR pitch, didnt leave it, didnt gesture, kiss his badge or mouth off. van pratt did all those things and gets nothing just because our fans DIDN'T react - WHY IS NO ONE ON THE MEDIA MENTIONING THAT ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! when did one adult become responsible for the actions of others. whats next, this maybe.........

.........breaking news here on sky sports, emmanuel adebayor has been arrested after an arsenal fan last night put an OAP in hospital after a vicious assault. when questioned he simply explained his actions by citing that he was still wound up from the 'provocation' he recieved from the horrible mr adebayor whilst watching his beloved arsenal lose at eastlands 3 weeks ago. "How am i supposed to be responsible for my actions after what adebayor did, didnt you see it on TV, he ran towards us and slid on his knees, for gods sake there were children there. obviously we wanted to show he was in the wrong so to set a GOOD example we chucked some bottles at a steward, swore and shouted some stuff about his race and family. now look whats happened"....... mr adebaeyor has today been told he will today recieve the death penalty............"

The Original Blue John, London (30/09/2009 at 09:52)

I would add the case of Thierry Henry to our defence as well as Neville. In a derby against Spurs, 4 years ago, Henry scored in front of the North Bank and then ran the length of the pitch to slide on in his knees right in front of the enraged Spurs fans in the Clock End. His punishment? Sweet Fanny Adams!

David Evans, Zuerich (30/09/2009 at 10:03)

dr.spock, sweden
30/09/2009 at 09:19

Like you I was outraged at the vicious two footed lunge from RVP that amazingly went unnoticed by the referee and crowd at the Arsenal game last night. Unfortunately the channel I was watching didn't have the English commentators, rather German. So I'd be interest to hear if any English commentator mentioned it. This guy , RVP is a serious injury waiting to happen. He is arrogant and hot headed. I hope he gets his come uppance.

The Devil's Advocate, M11 born and bred, East Stand Lower 104 (30/09/2009 at 10:04)

It was an error of judgement - that's all. I don't believe anyone should be held to account for celebrating - and that includes No1 Chuckle Bro. I don't care if an opposing player celebrates in front of me - I have the self-control not to chase him down the touchline or throw something at him. I also understand that if I can't take it, I shouldn't give it. We might as well charge players for holding their finger up to their mouth, or cupping their ears at the opposing fans after scoring. The FA and fans have to get a sense of perspective about this, or we are in danger of steralising a very emotional occasion for players, officials and fans.

Bert is my hero, Cheshire! (30/09/2009 at 10:08)

Tevez responded magnificently to the WHU fans when he scored - but then they made it quite clear that they revere and respect him enormously. The Arsenal fans treated Ade to racist abuse, obscene songs about his mother and other chants from their depraved repertoire. Ade suffered all this in silence and played his football. When he scored he ran the length of the field and slid on his knees with his arms raised. I do not see how this can possibly contravene any FA regulations. He did not take his shirt off. He did not leave the field of play. He made no aggressive gesture. He did not throw coins or any other missile back into the crowd. He merely showed his delight at scoring to foul mouthed, loutish spectators who had taunted him all game. This is, surely, about as mild a reaction as you can expect in the circumstances. These spectators proceeded to rip out their seats and throw them, along with other missiles, onto the pitch. A steward was knocked out. The fans tried, but failed, to invade the pitch. Who are the real offenders in this story? And yet Arsenal and the FA have made no attempt to identify those responsible and will take no action against them as a result.

Peter Beagrie`s beagle (30/09/2009 at 10:43)

Punishment for Ade`s "offence" has to work consistantly for all players, and if the chuckle brother and Van Persie got away with their conduct, so should he, simple as that. CTID

Tommy "Chopper" C, Oz. (30/09/2009 at 10:47)

This will be about a five minute hearing, total waste of everybody`s time. Even the FA wouldn`t be stupid enough to take this any further.....suprised they haven`t withdrawn the charge already.

On another thread, anyone heard what happened to the arsenal thug that threw the chair? or the coins, or the bananas?......No, thought not.

Uncle Buck, Manchester, home of MCFC - Manchester's only team, noisier than Taggart's telly. (30/09/2009 at 10:58)

The mere fact that he was even charged stinks, compared to slap on the wrist given to Gary Chuckle and RVP, who's actions were far worse.

The Pope, Rome (30/09/2009 at 11:01)

It will be nothing short of a disgrace if he gets banned for this especially considering the circumstances and previouse "offences" by other players. However if he does we should be able to appeal which if i'm right in thinking will mean he would still be availablefor the Villa game.

I'd be REALLY buzzing if we won that one

given, bridge, zabs, toure, lescott
swp, barry, dejong, bellamy
tevez adebayor

big gay al, droylsden (30/09/2009 at 11:06)

The big man will be ok! thought we missed him more at manure at the back post when Fletcher came in with them two headers!

paulo jackson (30/09/2009 at 11:13)

It is City they will try to hammer him again!!
Still nothing done about the racists chants and obscene songs directed at Ade and his wife and parents!! It is disgusting how it has been swept under the carpet imo because it is Arsenal one of the so called big four. W Ham and Millwall will get hammered (correctly) by the FA,will anything happen over the coining throwing or the pitch invader at OT, not a chance!! One rule for them one for the rest it stinks!!!

big blumer, cheltenham (30/09/2009 at 11:19)

BIG GAY AL - you make a very good point..........having a big striker is also very useful when defending, ade showed that against that bunch of whingers that we beat 4-2 recently. i cant remeber their names you know the ones, they have the striker that is permanently sneering out the corner of his should be washed out with soap and water mouth................

Shaun, At My Desk (30/09/2009 at 11:29)

Now that the competely over the top coverage of this incident has blown itself out without the return of capital punishment,it's pretty obvious that Neville's attempt at crowd baiting in the Derby is City's trump card.So once the FA have gone through the motions of being seen to take the Gunner's fans hostile reaction to Adebayor's goal celebration seriously,it will be business as usual down old Soho Square.

blue moon in portishead, somerset (30/09/2009 at 11:32)

The FA will not ban Ade for this ... a warning is the most he can be given.

The FA have, in my humble opinion, got themselves in a bind over this and other recent matters and there partiality (or lack of impartiality and evenhandedness) in their treatment of clubs and players is there and evident for all to see.

Thank goodness for the www.fawatch.org campaign that has been started.

The FA's problem starts with their Cheif Executive, Mr Whatmore (think I spelled it correctly) who is a self-confessed Arsenal fan and he started the call for Ade's ban even before he has seen the ref's report. I think it likely that the FA Legal eagles have had a ord with him about when to open his mouth and about what. Then you have the obvious conflict of interest with Mr Gill, Chief Exec of ManYoo, sitting in judgement on Ade and handing out the 3 game ban four day before the game at OT.

So here we have the FA punishments:

.... for Arsenal ... for racist chanting, fans throwing bananas and chairs on the pitch, for trying to invade the pitch, for injuring a steward ... ermm ... nothing

.... for Van Persie ... for all his reported misdemeanours in the same match ... erm ... a warning

.... for ManYoo .... for coin throwing, for pitch invasion, for failing to control their players ... erm ... nothing

.... for West Ham ... for the same as above but more serious perhaps ... 4 (yes four) sepearate charges

... oh yes ... the FA did urge Arsenal adn ManYoo to find the perpetrators and deal with them and here is the progress so far:

1 ... coin thrower at OT ... perso identified and named and shamed and banned - erm .. NO
2 ... pitch invader ... named and shamed by GMP .. banned by Man Yoo for life - erm .. NO
3 ... racist chaters by Arsenal identified and named by Arsenal .. erm .. NO
4 .... banana throwers and chair thower named and shamed and banned by Arsenal ... erm .. NO

So well done the FA for keeping our game under control.

Eric, still Dutch (30/09/2009 at 11:33)

I would recommend a bet on the verdict by the FA, it being another 3 match ban for the player. Yes, even despite numerous comparable incidents resulting in a fine or a warning (depending if the player is a member of the so-called top 4-teams).

Ste , Cheshire (30/09/2009 at 12:02)

I think we showed against West Ham that we are more than capable of playing well even if he is banned. It will be a travesty if he is though and I fully expect him to show up Dunne yet again on Monday night (Remember Arsenal away last year anyone?)

paulo jackson (30/09/2009 at 12:34)

blue moon somerset please send your comments to the fa just to see what response (if any) you get brilliant matey top man!!

Bert is my hero, Cheshire! (30/09/2009 at 12:45)

What concerns me is that despite all the weaknesses of their case shown on this site, the FA have still charged him, and did it as quickly as they opted out of any action for the other offenders. I fear the facts of the case are irrelevant - they want to make a scapegoat of Ade for some reason.

True Blue Middlesbrough, middlesbrough (30/09/2009 at 12:48)

Ask Arsenal for their comments on a certain Mr Henry running the full length of the pitch and doing the sane celebration in front of the Spurs fans.Oh and what has happened to sir baconface after he turned to the City fans and gestured to them after owen scored.
Selective rules for the usual suspects and severe ones for the rest.

DreamBrother28, Macclesfield (30/09/2009 at 12:52)

Our superman must be intelligent..... South Africa-
October is a good month too, three games that last season yielded ZERO points but should be seven at least.
If we take replicating last season's results as a base we need to find a further twenty points, and after the away wins at Blackburn and Portsmouth we're already plus five.

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