Latics_Fanatic Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Media hype around racism in football is high priority at the moment, and has been since Suarez and Terry incidents. Look at Liverpool away last season though, Adeyemi allegedly racially abused - big deal made of it for a couple of days, turns out nothing was said in the end... I expect that this will be the same, Croft just isn't that kind of guy.. i hope.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobOAFC Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 Sky have got hold of it, but nothing on the BBC http://www1.skysport.../11095/8163522/ Now on http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19938884 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) maybe a fan misheard 'give me the ball back' as 'give me the ball black' Headline: "Yorkshireman offended after being called a Manc". Edited October 14, 2012 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blu-Blood Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 There was nothing wrong with that ball boy coming off the pitch...he was happy to shake croft's hand originally and then pulled away afterwards! It pisses me right off that just because of his skin colour, it MUST have been racist...let's be honest, if someone had just racially abused you, would you shake that person's hand 5 minutes after the incident? I know I wouldn't. All in all, that ball boy caused the entire situation by being a cocky :censored: and Croft rightly had a go at him. The racial stuff will have been fabricated by the morons sat behind the kid. Just my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 That's a good one - they can fiddle it then have breakfast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I know if I heard it at bp I'd be the first to complain. Don't we :censored:ing know it. This is all bollocks, the kid goofed about to forlornly give them an advantage when Oldham was in the ascendancy, got told in no uncertain terms to get a :censored:ing spurt on by a grown up, then bawled their eyes out when it didn't suit. Cue the Sheffailed United fans close to the incident screaming as though Croft had tried to get him in his car with a puppy and some Werthers. Bull:censored:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 There was nothing wrong with that ball boy coming off the pitch...he was happy to shake croft's hand originally and then pulled away afterwards! It pisses me right off that just because of his skin colour, it MUST have been racist...let's be honest, if someone had just racially abused you, would you shake that person's hand 5 minutes after the incident? I know I wouldn't. All in all, that ball boy caused the entire situation by being a cocky :censored: and Croft rightly had a go at him. The racial stuff will have been fabricated by the morons sat behind the kid. Just my opinion! That's the spirit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimsleftfoot Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 The ball boy had a position of responsibility and kicked the ball away from him. The question is, what does the ball boy expect Croft to do? This shouldn't be about Croft but the ball boy who should be disciplined by Sheff U and I wonder if his reaction coming off the pitch has more to do with this dawning on him than what Croft had said. If Croft had said something racist then he's a fool and deserves punishment. I don't think he's that thick though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsLegend Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Croft says something to a little cocky ball boy, and is suddenly branded a racist? The media seem obsessed with it, thinking they have a scoop when the word racist is used in a story. Sheff Utd fans obviously jumping on the bandwagon and putting in complaints etc. I have no doubt Croft verbally abused him, but I highly doubt he called him a black so-and-so or anything like that. I'll eat my words if i'm wrong but its all getting a bit silly now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilStarbucksSilkySkills Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Should a kid/ball boy be subject to any kid of swearing/angry overtones from a professional footballer at any ground? I know if I heard it at bp I'd be the first to complain. Do you also write in to points of view by any chance? If people were merely complaining that Croft had reacted angrily (with words) to the kid then fine. Give Croft a telling off for showing his frustration and give the ballboy a warning for acting like a complete tool. But everyone has "racist abuse" tourettes at the moments and it wore thin a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie_J Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 The ball boy is there to get the ball. He should have been doing his job but was trying to help Sheff Utd waste time. Croft should have kept his cool but you can understand how circumstances might get the better of you. The ball boy looks about 14 or 15 and should have known better and I can't have too much sympathy for him getting a mouthful. You can't be such a cheeky little bugger without expecting any sort of comeback. Having said all that, if Croft did racially abuse him - and I don't for a minute believe he did - then we should send him back to Derby. It seems to me that some idiot seeing a white player having a go at a young black lad has seen an opportunity to kick up a storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 It seems to me that some idiot seeing a white player having a go at a young black lad has seen an opportunity to kick up a storm Precisely. This one will go away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hands on Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Given the level of abuse that the FA accepts, see Terry decision, as long as there was nothing racist this will go away. I hope the club doesn't respond to the pressure and fine him - I want my team to be annoyed when representatives of the opposition cheat. The reported comment is nothing a boy/youth of his age could not hear at the cinema or on the TV. The Police, particularly, South Yorkshire are going to make sure they do everything by the book so the going away might take some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
De_La_Vega Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Croft should know better though - shouting at ball boys is not cool. If it's racist then he needs to be severely punished. On the flip side though, shouldn't Sheff Utd be disciplining the ball boy? There are rules about how they have to be impartial in getting the ball back for both sides after all. I think we should get the FA involved, not because I'm too pissed off but because they are a right bunch of arseholes and I fancy some mischief! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaticsLegend Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 No one needs disciplining. Ballboy being a bit of a little :censored: and Croft was annoyed and gave him some stick. Should be end of story really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhamoafc Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Surely if he racially abused him then there would have been trouble straight away? Everyone got on with their job and only when we score it becomes racist. I have no doubt Crofty said something but only what the little cheat deserved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
palmer1 Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) I really hope this isnt just sour grapes beause we scored a very late goal looking at the footage Crofty clearly said something to the lad but he didnt react as if it was racist and didnt even look upset. the fans did not react like anything that bad was said and the ball boys first reaction was to shake Crofts hand before he realised he would not do that if there was racism invloved it just seem these days the race card is very easy play! Edited October 14, 2012 by palmer1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfatjoe1 Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Croft is a clown as in a joker. He's a bit thick, but his personality does not stike me as being the least bit malicious. the accusation is totally out of character. I don't believe it for one minute. The person accusing him (is it the cocky little :censored: or someone else?) should be made to pay for lying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosa Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 The match was televised, there must be a good chance a camera picked up what was said. Hope so, so that this doesn't drag on for weeks. If he has racially abused the kid, he should get a lengthy ban and sent back to Derby. If any Sheffield United fans genuinely heard him racially abuse the kid, they should speak to the club or the police. If they didn't, they really should think twice before going on the internet and calling him a 'rascist' and threatening to beat people up with lamps. In the interview on GMR straight after the game (when he admitted swearing at the ballboy but denied saying anything racist), Croft sounded pretty angry. Pointed out that he was reacting to the stick he was getting from their fans in the heat of the last minutes of the game and kept saying "what do you want us to do?" Yes, it's unprofessional to react, but it does make me laugh when people scream all kinds of abuse for 90 minutes then turn into Mary Whitehouse when a player sticks two fingers up to them for a split second. Sorry, Ched Evans Fan Club, but the moral high ground is out of bounds to you now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeslover Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Took me ages to work out what he meant, I genuinely thought he meant hearing aids. Medically speaking, are the ears a common site of transmission for blood-borne viruses, doctor? President Zuma has confirmed that it's safe so long as you have your ear syringed afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oafc-latics Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 watched it again, that ballboy is a disgrace! if croft did say anything racist then it's not on and he should be sent back, but would anything have been said if the ballboy had given croft the ball? their man williams is the closest and says something to crofty, but is something really being made out of this? i can see croft being let off and the ballboy (hopefully) being punished himself, he didnt even hide the fact that he was blatantly timewasting for his team Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebOAFC Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 I wouldn't worry about it - it's South Yorkshire Police, Crofty will be long retired before they complete their investigation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeroyboy Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 Has anyone else picked up from the TV footage that not a single Latics player was running towards the ball lying stationary against the hoardings as the ball-boy slowly climbed over them. Croft was actually trotting past the ball into a defensive position and Wabara was stepping backwards likewise. For none football reasons and to my regret I had already left the ground, but was there an issue with whose throw-in it was? It was only when Croft had passed the ball by a few yards he turned to go back towards him. By this time the ball-boy was standing with the ball at his feet with no player seemingly wanting to claim it. Croft’s arm then came into camera shot a couple of yards from the touch line apparently requesting the ball. The kid didn’t release it, why? It was only when Croft realised that he was going to have to go for it himself that he became animated and the kid kicked it passed him. There seems to be 4 ponderable’s here. Why were there no Latics defenders rushing to take the throw-in? Could the kid, at first, have been confused by whose throw-in it was as well as our players? Why did the kid not release the ball on Croft’s universally acknowledged arm out request? Why did the kid finally kick the ball past Croft. It is my belief your honour that the evidence put before the court indicates that Latics, at first, did not think it was their throw-in, and neither did the kid. The kid was happy to wait for a United player to saunter up for the ball. When Mr Croft requested the ball he became belligerent and when my client became agitated the kid had a ‘Kevin’ moment and hoofed the ball away from him. Me, normal now: I can’t for the life of me see how Croft or any player would have been inclined or stupid enough to racially abuse a ball boy. I hope the police take the trouble to run players, management and coaching staff from both clubs through the seconds before the incident along with the match officials and 2 adjacent cameramen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldhamandy1 Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 It was a United throw in, but in fairness to the ballboy he has said he didn't hear anything. Also a Twitter account claiming to be him said Croft didn't abuse him racially. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opinions4u Posted October 14, 2012 Share Posted October 14, 2012 (edited) It just has the feeling of the racist element being added afterwards by those who weren't involved in incident. No obvious anger in the immediate aftermath. Crofts reaction when it was suggested an apology was in order was pretty comfortable with jogging over and doing what's right. I'm not sure he'd have looked as comfortable if he had used a word to describe skin colour. While I suppose it's natural to want to believe "your man", in this case I really can't see beyond a short sharp expletive or two. Edited October 14, 2012 by opinions4u Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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