The mancityfans.net football forum

Original Dub wrote:So Alex mate, you could be right - maybe the silly cunt Neville has just gotten ade off the hook.

Fish111 wrote:That ugly bastard has just got Ade off his misconduct charge, respect to him for that. If the FA do no charge Igor for tha goal celebration then how can they continue with the charge on Ade: They can't.

Wonderwall wrote:who gives a fuck about gary neville, he is a cunt and will always be a cunt. His brother moved to merseyside to get away from him for fucks sake. let the little prick do what he wants, he is insignificant.

Craig Bellamy facing three-match ban for hitting fan in Manchester derby

James Ducker

Craig Bellamy, the Manchester City striker, faces the prospect of a three-match ban for appearing to strike a pitch invader at Old Trafford on Sunday after the recriminations from a controversial derby were dissected by the FA and police yesterday.

The FA was understood to be considering all options, including a charge of violent conduct, after Bellamy was alleged to have hit the Manchester United fan as the supporter was hauled away by stewards having charged on to the pitch at the end of the home side’s 4-3 win. United are to ban the fan for life.

Bellamy reacted after allegedly being told to “f*** off” by the fan, whom the player is thought to have told to “get off the f***ing pitch”.

A 21-year-old man, Jake Joseph Clarke, was charged yesterday by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) with “going on to a playing area without lawful authority or excuse” and is due to appear at Trafford Magistrates’ Court a week tomorrow.

With Emmanuel Adebayor, who is serving a three-match ban for violent conduct, facing the prospect of an additional suspension after being charged with improper conduct by the FA for his goal celebration in front of Arsenal supporters during the 4-2 win the previous weekend, City could do without another of their strikers running the risk of censure, but the club have vowed to defend Bellamy.

The fallout is unlikely to end there. The FA and GMP confirmed that they were investigating claims that Javier Garrido, a City substitute, was struck by a coin thrown from the stands as the players went off at half-time.

Garrido, who accused United of “creating a climate of hostility against us”, believes that the intended target had been Carlos Tévez, the former United striker whose defection to City in the summer drew an angry reaction from the Old Trafford crowd.

The governing body is also looking into Gary Neville’s celebration after the controversial stoppage-time winner by Michael Owen.

The United defender — whom Mark Hughes, the City manager, accused of behaving “like a lunatic” — raced down the touchline to celebrate wildly in front of the City fans, a reaction that evoked memories of his celebration in front of Liverpool supporters after Rio Ferdinand scored a late winner at Old Trafford in a league match in January 2006.

Having been fined £5,000 and issued with a formal warning about his future conduct by the FA on that occasion, Neville may find himself in hot water with the authorities again, especially in light of the furore caused by Adebayor’s celebration.

The game served only to stoke the mounting tensions between the clubs and Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, and Hughes, and the barbs continued to fly yesterday when Garrido hit out at City’s biggest rivals.

“I know other derbies, but this atmosphere was incredible, with insults flying as soon as we arrived at the stadium,” the Spaniard said. “I don’t know about the motives, but it’s certain that during half-time I was hit by a coin on the head when I was just walking calmly down the tunnel.

“I believe that the target was Carlos Tévez but I was standing next to him at the time. This was viewed by Manchester United staff, but nobody offered any kind of reason.

“Manchester City have not provoked any of this controversy and United have created a climate of hostility against us. The shouts against Tévez are normal, but I do not understand why anybody would throw objects during the match. We received insults on the bench throughout the match. It’s very sad.”

Fifa, football’s world governing body, dismissed last night Fiorentina’s complaint about the Barclays Premier League champions’ signing of Michele Fornasier. The Italy Under-16 defender joined United from the Italian club in the summer.

“We can confirm that we were contacted by Fiorentina with regard to the potential transfer of the player, Michele Fornasier, to Manchester United,” Fifa said. “However, so far no formal investigation was opened since the documentation currently in our possession, from a purely formal point of view, is not apt to sustain such action.”