An open letter to the Sun

[blootoof]

mancityblues.com member "Bluesky"

An open letter to The Sun

The Sun journalist Steven Howard receives an open letter from mancityblues.com member "Bluesky" following his statements this morning, quote;

It's Manu madness
SO a £25,000 fine and suspended two-match ban for Emmanuel Adebayor.

In other words, he's as good as got off for effectively doing his best to incite a riot against former club Arsenal. What sort of message is this from the FA?

And yet Carlos Tevez is criticised on numerous radio phone-ins for his low-key celebrations against West Ham. No wonder players are confused.

Dear Mr. Howard

Oh the irony! On the day Manchester City announce that for the second time in the last couple of months the Sun has been forced to apologise for publishing lies about the club, your newspaper's anti-Manchester City agenda rears its ugly head once again with the astonishing claim that Emmanuel Adebayor "got off" with a £25,000 fine and a suspended two match ban for his goal celebration against Arsenal.

I know this goes against the grain for the Sun but let's look at the facts.

1) Adebayor did not abuse the Arsenal fans.
2) At no time did he leave the field of play.
3) He didn't engage in any badge tugging or badge kissing.
4) He had to put up with all manner of racial and personal abuse from the warm up to the end of the game.
5) The Arsenal fans "got off" with trying to enter the field of play, throwing coins and other objects, including at least one banana, at Adebayor and assaulting a steward.
6) He was shown a yellow card, apparently for his celebration, but because the F.A. would have been powerless to charge him for this incident referee Mark Clattenburg later said that it was for "timewasting" not for the celebration.
7) The time elapsed between the ball hitting the back of the net and Clattenburg issuing the yellow card for "timewasting" was 30 seconds. Hardly timewasting by anybody's definition. Few goal celebrations involve a shorter period of time.

In addition, and yet again, the F.A. has shown itself up with inconsistencies and different treatment for different clubs.

In the same game game Robin van Persie scored an equaliser at the Arsenal end. Instead of running a few yards to celebrate in front of them he veered off to the other side to do so in front of the City fans. In doing so he left the field of play and screamed obscenities at the City fans in an area where many children sit. Result? No yellow card and just a letter from the F.A. reminding him of players' responsibilities.

Also worth noting is that the City fans were very restrained in the face of such foul mouthed abuse and, unlike the Arsenal fans, didn't attempt to riot.

All of 3 years ago Gary Neville ran the length of the pitch to celebrate a goal (not even scored by himself) in front of Liverpool fans. He yelled abuse at them and tugged at his badge. Result? A £5,000 fine and a warning as to his future conduct.

Cue the Manchester derby less than two weeks ago and when the winning goal was scored Neville, without any authorisation from the officials, entered the field of play then ran half the length of the pitch to taunt the City fans. Result? Despite previous for this sort of thing the F.A. are to take no action.

Again, the City fans restrained themselves and didn't attempt to riot.

So it looks like both van Persie and Neville "got off" with it whereas Adebayor is treated differently with a fine and a suspended two match ban.

Apart from the double standards, the F.A. have made a rod for their own backs with this decision. They have set a precedent that action will only be taken against players overcelebrating goals if the opposing fans attempt to invade the pitch and cause a riot. What sort of message does this send to potential hooligans? Millwall must be studying this case carefully in view of the recent F.A charges against them.

It should also be borne in mind that F.A. chief executive Ian Watmore is a self-confessed Arsenal fan who made totally inappropriate public comments about the two incidents involving Adebayor in the Arsenal game that undoubtedly prejudiced and pre-judged both of Adebayor's cases.

In addition, Manchester United chief exective David Gill is also a member of the F.A.'s board of management. It would be to his club's advantage if Adebayor missed the upcoming derby and guess what? Adebayor's 'stamping' case was fast tracked so that he did miss the derby. And guess what again? As well as the Neville incident in the derby, the F.A. are taking no action against Manchester United for the incident when City substitute Javier Garrido was struck by a coin thrown from the crowd.

Before you or your newspaper publish any more unfounded tosh about Manchester City you would be well advised to bear in mind that the club is fast becoming an unstoppable force in the Premier League despite the F.A.'s and much of the media's best efforts to keep
the cosy 'big 4' intact. The City fans aren't asking for preferential treatment, just consistency and a level playing field. A bit of factual reporting wouldn't go amiss either.

Kind regards

http://mancityblues.com/newsblog/index. ... to-the-sun

[john68]

A great letter...much more restrained than I would have written...but it won't change a thing.

The media have their own agenda and the are effectively the FA's paymasters.

[Crazy_Cabbie]

Great letter,

I imagine it went straight in the bin tho', as john said they seem to have their own agenda,
and are not intersted in FACTS

But if by any remote chance you do get a reply, let us know will you

Cheers

[eastlandsblue]

Great letter, and like John68 said well restrained, the one I sent to Ian McGarry was far less tactful, needless to say he didint reply

[IanWright]

Good reply. However;

There was no racial or personal chanting against Adebayor in the game, apart from a chant ending with "f*** Adebayor" (hardly crowd ejection material, is it?)

I recall Man City fans in the same area of the stadium having a scuffle with stewards immediately after the Arsenal fans, ahem, "rioted".

I'm not trying to cause a ruck myself, but this issue really needs to be addressed, in my opinion.

[lets all have a disco]

Cant we put this issue to bed now?
Who gives a shit what The Sun says? Not me for one,that pathetic riot by the Arsenal fans was funny as fuck that shit just pays for itself ban the goons who threw shit on the pitch and hurt the steward,Ade send The FA a cheque and move on on.

[Steve]

Nice letter. If all it takes for these people to start a riot is a goal celebration, then I suggest we stop letting them attend football matches, and I would go further to suggest some therapy. There must be some individuals with an intolerable amount of pent up anger out there.

[Blue Since 76]

The club should just add the sun onto its blacklist. When we are part of the top 4 and they are desparate for stories, interviews etc, tough. The media have 3 options - be a mouth piece for a club; have an agenda against a club; or just be fair and honest in what they do. All we need is the latter and we should remember those with an agenda when they need us.

[Chinners]

Quality letter, sadly a total waste of time but if it made you feel better by doing it then good for you.

[blootoof]

Good reply. However;

There was no racial or personal chanting against Adebayor in the game, apart from a chant ending with "f*** Adebayor

Fuckoff

I recall Man City fans in the same area of the stadium having a scuffle with stewards immediately after the Arsenal fans, ahem, "rioted"

Riotin is now allowed according to the FA. The next time chuckle goes on one of his ugly sprints I'm going to rap a bottle around his face, as its now allowed.

[edgeley blue]

Good reply. However;

There was no racial or personal chanting against Adebayor in the game, apart from a chant ending with "f*** Adebayor" (hardly crowd ejection material, is it?)

I recall Man City fans in the same area of the stadium having a scuffle with stewards immediately after the Arsenal fans, ahem, "rioted".

I'm not trying to cause a ruck myself, but this issue really needs to be addressed, in my opinion.

Was you at the game? I ask because you must be deaf if you were. From where I was sat I heardthe most vile personal abuse ever towards a player in 32 years of attending City games. If calling someones mother a whore for example is not personal then I dont know what is.

I also definitely saw at least one banana on the pitch, which i suppose is up to debate as to whether it was meant racially.

May I also add that I was on an Arsenal forum before the game and some of the stuff written was bordering on the fatuous. For example one poster hoped that ade would be in a car crash and kill himself. Another wrote, "one of our back four could become a legend if they manage to break ades legs.

To the original poster, a great reply, but there is no need to worry yourself what that comic thinks

[Beefymcfc]

The Sun has just sent it's reply:
















































I ain't Listening!!!

[Kiss_The_Goat]

Great letter.

As for Arsenal fans. Tossers. No offence IanWright but you surely can't be proud of your lads behaviour at COMS and the totally unjustified level of abuse Ade has received? Its a complete disgrace. I'm mean get some perspective. Look at us with 'Thanks Joey'. That nutter beats up our own player on the training pitch putting him in hospital, puts a cigar out in a youth players eyes, is a constant twat on and off the pitch, then gets fired, fucks off to Newcastle, and spouts crap about us not matching his ambition. while he might get a few boos and be general disliked by City fans, the level of abuse from blues is nowhere near the level of abuse Ade gets for what? Wanting to go to AC Milan last year? Hardly a crime is it? I just dont understand the level of hatred towards him. Maybe you can explain? For the record, I fucking love Ade, and even more after the passion he displayed in the Arsenal game. Can't wait to have him back tomorrow.

[Slim]

I don't care, really don't. In fact I would prefer it if they continued their hate campaign because I don't want them giving us a reach around and calling it love. But back to my first point, don't care.

[Blue in the face]

An excellent letter. Wasted on him but not a waste; as I think everyone reading it on here will be 100% behind you.

[bluemoon]

Great stuff, that letter needs sending to most 'Journalists' up and down the country and the cunts at the F.A while you're at it.

[Ted Hughes]

I don't really want The Sun on our side to be honest. I'd like a fair crack of the whip from the more respected journalists (Henry Winter's just let himself down badly on that score imo) but the Sun & all their sports staff can all just go fuck themselves as far as I'm concerned. Fucking comic.

[razor400]

So Ian Wright how happy would you have been if city fans started doing a danny fucking dyer impression when Van Pussy was screaming FUCK OFF at city fans, as this surley would of landed him in te FA dock. Maybe its about time cockerney fans stopped watching fucking football factory and started acting like real men. Soft twats!

[Blue Jam]

Great letter but there are far too many long words in there for Stephen Howard to understand.

[wyted]

It's a great letter and I applaud it's author!! If only people like Mr Bluesky became sports journo's and not remedial's like Mr Howard.