An open letter to the Sun

[ronk]

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

I was at the game. I was sitting towards the front but in the middle of all the Arsenal fans.

From there, I can genuinely say that there weren't any songs sung about Adebayor's father washing elephants and his mother being sexually promiscous. I know full well of this awful chant because it was sung at Old Tartford in the Cup game a couple of years back. Like I've said, the only one I heard ended with "f*** Adebayor". Players get far, far worse than that and they don't run the length of the pitch to rub it in to travelling, paying fans. That sort of reaction (from Adebayor) is unheard of and I rack my brains to think of another, similar celebration. Hence, the equal and opposite reaction from Arsenal fans was also uncharacteristic.

If Adebayor genuinely thought there was personal abuse directed at him, then he wouldn't have suddenly accepted the folly of his actions and tried to applaud the Arsenal fans at the end of the game (which was met with unanimous boos, needless to say). If it was of a highly personal nature, then I'd have thought Adebayor would've given a lot more to the Arsenal fans than a knees-sliding celebration in front of them from the other side of the pitch.

I agree that the behaviour of football fans, as a whole, is deteriorating. Chants can be very personal and disgusting to listen to. You often wonder what sub-strata of society these people belong to when you witness their behaviour at games. (Do they only come out at weekends?) I, personally, think that paying fans should buck up their ideas a little, especially when there are young children in the stadium and they're supposed to be setting an example.

Needless is the word.

Interesting favourite player. Your style of punditry has a lot in common with him.

[Dazzacity]

Thats convienient

And bollocks.

I, myself, am quite sceptical about the whole "family above the Clock End" issue.

If you've got 3 of 4 corners where your own fans are, celebrate in front of them.

Speaking of which, Henry's at the Emirates now.

Shouldn't you be?

I see your from Perth. So when was the last time you went to watch City??

[john68]

Mr Wright,
Fans winding players up and players winding fans up is nothing new. It has gone on for many years and taken many forms. What Adebayor did was to run the length of the field, knee slde, put his arms in the air and smiled...Fuck me, that is some very heavy insulting taunt...innit!!!!
It seems that the response of the Arsenal fans must really have been justified...Their reason to act so riotously?...ADEBAYOR SMILED AT THEM!!! What sensitive souls they must be, to be so upset at being SMILED at.
Being sensitive footie fans, it is ok for them to personally and publically insult another human being. It is ok for them to throw bananas at a black player...these were obviously non racist bananas that had been brought from London as a midgame snack(?)

Or could it be that the Arsenal fans who screamed their abuse, chucked their non racist banana snacks, threw their midgame drinks bottleS (how hungry and thirsty that fan must have been), pretended they were (hold me back)...going to re-enact a WW1 Somme advance (hold me back)..."Let me get at him...why have you let go?....ARE JUST A BUNCH OF COWARDS...who like to give it out but haven't got the bollox to take it back

After all...taking it back only meant being SMILED at...Now, every footie fan and lots of non footie fans know that the Arsenal fans are quite simply a bunch of over sensitive softarses.

I really hope that they enjoy the experience of finishing 5th (or lower) and the Europa Cup next season.

[Fish111]

I can honestly say that i have stopped reading newspaper reports about us, the only ones i read now are the reports on the actual games we play, i don't bother reading all these so-called 'football writers' views. Who the fuck decided that they are the voice of football fans? They're just a bunch of free-loading cockney wankers that do not deserve my time or attention.

[Tony P]

Aw, come on. The Sun is on the pulse with city. Just look how accurate the probable line-up for tonight is:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2667322/Hughes-Barry-is-no-villain.html

[blootoof]

Its funny that as a City fan I can remeber Thierry Heny scoring for Arsenal against Spurs and celebrating by sliding on his knees in front of the away fans. mind you the Spurs fans didn't act like cocks, throw missiles and attack a steward. Do you remember that one Ian Wright?

I knew that pearler would come up sooner rather than later.

Henry scored at the Clock End and celebrated at that end. Apparently, his family was sitting above the Spurs fans in a box at the Clock End, too..

[youtube]u9HnWUGc50U&feature=PlayList&p=A68E5635DCD79300&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39[/youtube]

[Fidel Castro]

Its funny that as a City fan I can remeber Thierry Heny scoring for Arsenal against Spurs and celebrating by sliding on his knees in front of the away fans. mind you the Spurs fans didn't act like cocks, throw missiles and attack a steward. Do you remember that one Ian Wright?

I knew that pearler would come up sooner rather than later.

Henry scored at the Clock End and celebrated at that end. Apparently, his family was sitting above the Spurs fans in a box at the Clock End, too..

[youtube]u9HnWUGc50U&feature=PlayList&p=A68E5635DCD79300&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39[/youtube]

Lol. Thought IanWright was quite a sensible, fair poster before seeing this. This has just proved he talks bollocks and twists the truth. Like a certain other Ian Wright. Cockney twunts

[blootoof]

Maybe he meant the COCK end.

[dario2739]

This thread has kinda gone off topic here with the replies to IanWright's posts, and i'm no different! ;-)

Firstly in addressing the issue of players being abused being nothing new - well that's right, but Adebayor got abused disgracefully by his own fans while he was STILL playing for them... and his crime? Daring to suggest that Arsenal didn't have ambition to match his own!
So IanWright - can you argue he was wrong? You only have to listen to talk sh!te on any given day to hear Arsenal fans bemoaning Wenger's miserly attitude. Yes it's commendible, but it's not winning you trophies - and while you still beat the poorer teams in the division you're drifting further from the big boys - Adebayor could see this and wanted to move on to a team in the CL or one that could match his ambition. Therein lies the problem - and one the whole PL has had since we came into money - the 'look-down-your-nose' attitude that 'it's little City', but the sooner everyone swallows that bitter pill and accepts the shift in power the better for you all. Put quite simply City now have not only the ambition and desire to rival ANY team but the financial muscle to achieve it, and the willingness to spend it! Arsenal count the pennies.
Wenger can be praised from bringing talented youth through the ranks, but it's virtually all lads bought around 15/16yrs of age and foreign, not kids nurtured locally. And what attracts these players to Arsenal? Their CL status and being one of the 'big 4' PL teams, but very soon you won't have either of those things because of the clubs fear of spending, and then the really good prospects will go elsewhere and so begins a slippery slope downwards.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Its funny that as a City fan I can remeber Thierry Heny scoring for Arsenal against Spurs and celebrating by sliding on his knees in front of the away fans. mind you the Spurs fans didn't act like cocks, throw missiles and attack a steward. Do you remember that one Ian Wright?

I knew that pearler would come up sooner rather than later.

Henry scored at the Clock End and celebrated at that end. Apparently, his family was sitting above the Spurs fans in a box at the Clock End, too..

[youtube]u9HnWUGc50U&feature=PlayList&p=A68E5635DCD79300&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39[/youtube]

I remember that game but I don't think I ever realised he was celebrating in front of spuds. North London derby as well. Fífteen game ban and 3m penalty sounds fair.

[Goaters 103]

Its funny that as a City fan I can remeber Thierry Heny scoring for Arsenal against Spurs and celebrating by sliding on his knees in front of the away fans. mind you the Spurs fans didn't act like cocks, throw missiles and attack a steward. Do you remember that one Ian Wright?

I knew that pearler would come up sooner rather than later.

Henry scored at the Clock End and celebrated at that end. Apparently, his family was sitting above the Spurs fans in a box at the Clock End, too.

Funny looking Clock End it was that Henry scored at, as unless you never actually went to Highbury, the end he scored at was in fact the Norfffffff Bank. He then proceeded to do exactly what Adebayor did, which just highlights that Arsenal fans have short memories and a rather hypocritical view; or maybe like the UK's leading Lester Piggott impersonator you all "Didn't see it"

You tell lies, fact. Jog on.

[Fullartj]

Fair play to you mate that was a great letter. I'm sick of that rag of a "newspaper" making up false stories about our beloved club!

[blootoof]

Wasn't mine though I'm quite happy to take the credit ;)

[IanWright]

Players get far, far worse than that and they don't run the length of the pitch to rub it in to travelling, paying fans. That sort of reaction (from Adebayor) is unheard of and I rack my brains to think of another, similar celebration. Hence, the equal and opposite reaction from Arsenal fans was also uncharacteristic.

I debate that running the length of the pitch and sliding on your knees is 'equal' in any way to rioting and assaulting stewards. I would suggest that sort of diametric view will only meet with scathing abuse around here and while welcome, should you honestly hold that view I would refrain from joining in threads on the subject for fear of causing animosity from people you are attempting to i-socialise with.

Firstly, I'm advocating the argument here and adding to the debate. I think you'll agree that if all you had here was an Adebayor love-in, things would get relatively boring. As I said, I'm not here as a wind-up merchant but to re-iterate my original point, there wasn't personal chanting anywhere near the degree that Adebayor is suggesting. If you want to hear that, just wait for your derby game to bear witness to what is said about Adebayor from the away section (should he be playing, of course)

You picked up on a sentence there. Well, Adebayor ran the length of the pitch to goad the away fans. Unheard of in the past and stupid. Arsenal fans "riot", stupid. Hence, equal in their stupidity. The FA seem to agree with that view. As for being an opposite reaction, Adebayor's glee in rubbing the Arsenal fans' noses in it and the fans' subsequent anger can be deemed "opposite".

So you don't remember Neville doing it against Scoucers when he got fined £5K ?????!!!!!

You also obviously have chosen to ignore one of the posters on this thread who witnessed the Gooners fans singing about Adebayor's family.

I respect your gumption to come on here and join the debate but please don't piss down our backs and tell us it's raining with relation to the above mate.

Just as readily as the above poster (forgive me, I don't recall his/her name) alleged Arsenal fans were singing about Adebayor's Dad washing elephants and his mother being a wh*re, I don't remember Arsenal fans ever uttering that silly chant during the game.

The worst I heard, admittedly, was a chap behind me who referred to him as an "Aids-ridden c*nt". Obviously, this was met with derision.

[IanWright]

Its funny that as a City fan I can remeber Thierry Heny scoring for Arsenal against Spurs and celebrating by sliding on his knees in front of the away fans. mind you the Spurs fans didn't act like cocks, throw missiles and attack a steward. Do you remember that one Ian Wright?

I knew that pearler would come up sooner rather than later.

Henry scored at the Clock End and celebrated at that end. Apparently, his family was sitting above the Spurs fans in a box at the Clock End, too..

[youtube]u9HnWUGc50U&feature=PlayList&p=A68E5635DCD79300&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=39[/youtube]

I'm big enough and ugly enough to know when I'm wrong and I was very wrong!

[IanWright]

Mr Wright,
Fans winding players up and players winding fans up is nothing new. It has gone on for many years and taken many forms. What Adebayor did was to run the length of the field, knee slde, put his arms in the air and smiled...Fuck me, that is some very heavy insulting taunt...innit!!!!
It seems that the response of the Arsenal fans must really have been justified...Their reason to act so riotously?...ADEBAYOR SMILED AT THEM!!! What sensitive souls they must be, to be so upset at being SMILED at.
Being sensitive footie fans, it is ok for them to personally and publically insult another human being. It is ok for them to throw bananas at a black player...these were obviously non racist bananas that had been brought from London as a midgame snack(?)

Or could it be that the Arsenal fans who screamed their abuse, chucked their non racist banana snacks, threw their midgame drinks bottleS (how hungry and thirsty that fan must have been), pretended they were (hold me back)...going to re-enact a WW1 Somme advance (hold me back)..."Let me get at him...why have you let go?....ARE JUST A BUNCH OF COWARDS...who like to give it out but haven't got the bollox to take it back

After all...taking it back only meant being SMILED at...Now, every footie fan and lots of non footie fans know that the Arsenal fans are quite simply a bunch of over sensitive softarses.

I really hope that they enjoy the experience of finishing 5th (or lower) and the Europa Cup next season.

Put it into context. Adebayor's just won the game for his own, new club after rubbishing the hand that once fed him. He has 3 corners of the stadium to choose from in order to celebrate, just like Craig Bellamy's done a few minutes earlier.

Instead, Adebayor decides to run the length of the pitch (looking back, it seems like an eternity. We knew exactly what the guy was doing) and effectively say "stuff you!" to these fans who once cheered his name. On the face of it, he slides on his knees and smiles but given the history, was that very wise?

And, if the shoe was on the other foot, would you applaud and say "well done, that man!" had you been a Gooner in the away end? Adebayor wanted to provoke a reaction and he got one. In my opinion, it was all premeditated.

[carl_feedthegoat]

Mr Wright,
Fans winding players up and players winding fans up is nothing new. It has gone on for many years and taken many forms. What Adebayor did was to run the length of the field, knee slde, put his arms in the air and smiled...Fuck me, that is some very heavy insulting taunt...innit!!!!
It seems that the response of the Arsenal fans must really have been justified...Their reason to act so riotously?...ADEBAYOR SMILED AT THEM!!! What sensitive souls they must be, to be so upset at being SMILED at.
Being sensitive footie fans, it is ok for them to personally and publically insult another human being. It is ok for them to throw bananas at a black player...these were obviously non racist bananas that had been brought from London as a midgame snack(?)

Or could it be that the Arsenal fans who screamed their abuse, chucked their non racist banana snacks, threw their midgame drinks bottleS (how hungry and thirsty that fan must have been), pretended they were (hold me back)...going to re-enact a WW1 Somme advance (hold me back)..."Let me get at him...why have you let go?....ARE JUST A BUNCH OF COWARDS...who like to give it out but haven't got the bollox to take it back

After all...taking it back only meant being SMILED at...Now, every footie fan and lots of non footie fans know that the Arsenal fans are quite simply a bunch of over sensitive softarses.

I really hope that they enjoy the experience of finishing 5th (or lower) and the Europa Cup next season.

Put it into context. Adebayor's just won the game for his own, new club after rubbishing the hand that once fed him. He has 3 corners of the stadium to choose from in order to celebrate, just like Craig Bellamy's done a few minutes earlier.

Instead, Adebayor decides to run the length of the pitch (looking back, it seems like an eternity. We knew exactly what the guy was doing) and effectively say "stuff you!" to these fans who once cheered his name. On the face of it, he slides on his knees and smiles but given the history, was that very wise?

And, if the shoe was on the other foot, would you applaud and say "well done, that man!" had you been a Gooner in the away end? Adebayor wanted to provoke a reaction and he got one. In my opinion, it was all premeditated.

WE HATE CHUCKLE WITH A PASSION..HATE HIM MORE THAN YOU LOT HATE ADEBAYOUR.......WHEN NEVILLE DOES HIS RETARDED STAR DANCE IN FRONT OF THE CITY FANS WHEN THE SCUM CHEATED TO THEIR WIN AGAINST US...WE DIDNT TRY TO JUMP ON THE PITCH TO BATTER HIM OR THROW CHAIRS AT STEWARDS DID WE...??????? WE ALL WANTED TO BUT WE ARE NOT SCUM ENOUGH TO DO IT.

YOUR LOT ON THEN OTHER HAND ARE.....THERES NO EXCUSE.

END OF.

[Original Dub]

Mr Wright,
Fans winding players up and players winding fans up is nothing new. It has gone on for many years and taken many forms. What Adebayor did was to run the length of the field, knee slde, put his arms in the air and smiled...Fuck me, that is some very heavy insulting taunt...innit!!!!
It seems that the response of the Arsenal fans must really have been justified...Their reason to act so riotously?...ADEBAYOR SMILED AT THEM!!! What sensitive souls they must be, to be so upset at being SMILED at.
Being sensitive footie fans, it is ok for them to personally and publically insult another human being. It is ok for them to throw bananas at a black player...these were obviously non racist bananas that had been brought from London as a midgame snack(?)

Or could it be that the Arsenal fans who screamed their abuse, chucked their non racist banana snacks, threw their midgame drinks bottleS (how hungry and thirsty that fan must have been), pretended they were (hold me back)...going to re-enact a WW1 Somme advance (hold me back)..."Let me get at him...why have you let go?....ARE JUST A BUNCH OF COWARDS...who like to give it out but haven't got the bollox to take it back

After all...taking it back only meant being SMILED at...Now, every footie fan and lots of non footie fans know that the Arsenal fans are quite simply a bunch of over sensitive softarses.

I really hope that they enjoy the experience of finishing 5th (or lower) and the Europa Cup next season.

Put it into context. Adebayor's just won the game for his own, new club after rubbishing the hand that once fed him. He has 3 corners of the stadium to choose from in order to celebrate, just like Craig Bellamy's done a few minutes earlier.

Instead, Adebayor decides to run the length of the pitch (looking back, it seems like an eternity. We knew exactly what the guy was doing) and effectively say "stuff you!" to these fans who once cheered his name. On the face of it, he slides on his knees and smiles but given the history, was that very wise?

And, if the shoe was on the other foot, would you applaud and say "well done, that man!" had you been a Gooner in the away end? Adebayor wanted to provoke a reaction and he got one. In my opinion, it was all premeditated.

you say the fans "that once chanted his name".

They were still chanting his name. Whether you heard it or not, he was getting dogs abuse, as confirmed by quite a few.

Now if I was sat there abusing the hell out of an ex city player and he scored and celebrated in front of me, I'd be sick as a plane to Lourdes, but I wouldn't turn into a fucking raging lunatic and try and enter the field of play so I could tear his head off, because all he did was make me look like a fool - if I'm gonna climb onto a pedestal, I shouldn't moan if someone knocks me off it.

I abuse him for the game, he gets one over on me and I should then have the right to riot?

Not having it mate.

[Alex Sapphire]

Just as readily as the above poster (forgive me, I don't recall his/her name) alleged Arsenal fans were singing about Adebayor's Dad washing elephants and his mother being a wh*re, I don't remember Arsenal fans ever uttering that silly chant during the game.

Ian lad, they were singing it all afternoon, before and during the game.

To be fair van Persie was getting his usual one word chorus following accusations made against him in the past, which was presumably why he gestured us (by sniffing his fingers) and told us (3 or 4 times) while off the pitch to Fuck Off after his very good goal. Difference is, we didn't climb over each other to get on telly

[IanWright]

Mr Wright,
Fans winding players up and players winding fans up is nothing new. It has gone on for many years and taken many forms. What Adebayor did was to run the length of the field, knee slde, put his arms in the air and smiled...Fuck me, that is some very heavy insulting taunt...innit!!!!
It seems that the response of the Arsenal fans must really have been justified...Their reason to act so riotously?...ADEBAYOR SMILED AT THEM!!! What sensitive souls they must be, to be so upset at being SMILED at.
Being sensitive footie fans, it is ok for them to personally and publically insult another human being. It is ok for them to throw bananas at a black player...these were obviously non racist bananas that had been brought from London as a midgame snack(?)

Or could it be that the Arsenal fans who screamed their abuse, chucked their non racist banana snacks, threw their midgame drinks bottleS (how hungry and thirsty that fan must have been), pretended they were (hold me back)...going to re-enact a WW1 Somme advance (hold me back)..."Let me get at him...why have you let go?....ARE JUST A BUNCH OF COWARDS...who like to give it out but haven't got the bollox to take it back

After all...taking it back only meant being SMILED at...Now, every footie fan and lots of non footie fans know that the Arsenal fans are quite simply a bunch of over sensitive softarses.

I really hope that they enjoy the experience of finishing 5th (or lower) and the Europa Cup next season.

Put it into context. Adebayor's just won the game for his own, new club after rubbishing the hand that once fed him. He has 3 corners of the stadium to choose from in order to celebrate, just like Craig Bellamy's done a few minutes earlier.

Instead, Adebayor decides to run the length of the pitch (looking back, it seems like an eternity. We knew exactly what the guy was doing) and effectively say "stuff you!" to these fans who once cheered his name. On the face of it, he slides on his knees and smiles but given the history, was that very wise?

And, if the shoe was on the other foot, would you applaud and say "well done, that man!" had you been a Gooner in the away end? Adebayor wanted to provoke a reaction and he got one. In my opinion, it was all premeditated.

WE HATE CHUCKLE WITH A PASSION..HATE HIM MORE THAN YOU LOT HATE ADEBAYOUR.......WHEN NEVILLE DOES HIS RETARDED STAR DANCE IN FRONT OF THE CITY FANS WHEN THE SCUM CHEATED TO THEIR WIN AGAINST US...WE DIDNT TRY TO JUMP ON THE PITCH TO BATTER HIM OR THROW CHAIRS AT STEWARDS DID WE...??????? WE ALL WANTED TO BUT WE ARE NOT SCUM ENOUGH TO DO IT.

YOUR LOT ON THEN OTHER HAND ARE.....THERES NO EXCUSE.

END OF.

I don't normally reply to a Caps Lock Frock, but in this case I'll make an exception.

Neville's an idiot, and Man City fans did well to keep their cool. Neville should've had a fine, but he plays for the Unmentionables.

However, even still, I'll go so far as to say that Neville's over-exuberance does not compare to Adebayor's celebration. There is a difference. He was an Arsenal player. He left Arsenal. He slated Arsenal at every given opportunity. He celebrated in front of Arsenal fans after scoring. This chain of events led to the "riot". Again, until you've been in that situation, you wouldn't know how to feel as a fan.

I'm not condoning the Arsenal fans' actions (and I must say, it was a minority at that) but at that moment in time, given all the history, it's impossible to judge the Arsenal fans for that one moment of madness.