Arsenal have called on the Football Association to charge Hull City with wasting FA time, and the time of Arsenal FC, its officials, legal staff and players. The call comes at a time when the FA is investigating how to respond to charges made by Hull, and which are now seen never to have had any chance of success of being proven in a hearing. There is also anger in the FA at what is seen as the frivilous nature of the complaints – some of which were dropped before the hearing.
This fallout comes after the FA found that Cesc Fábregas had no case to answer at a regulatory commission hearing, where the two remaining charges of improper conduct were heard. Cesc, told in advance that there was no case to answer, did not even interrupt training to turn up.
The FA document says, “The charges related to Fábregas’s conduct following the FA Cup match between Arsenal and Hull at the Emirates Stadium on 17 March. One charge concerned his conduct after coming on to the pitch following the final whistle. The second charge related to an allegation of spitting.”
A “after coming on the pitch” charge was amended from an initial charge which claimed, insanely, that it was a punishable offence for Cesc to come onto the pitch. The revised charge was accompanied by evidence from Hull that Cesc was inappropriately dressed. It was thrown out on the grounds that there was no clause in the FA rules that could possibly be used to cover that complaint.
Had Cesc been found guilty on the “on pitch after game” charge it would have been open for Arsenal to complain about the way Sir Alex F Word has run onto the pitch on occasion after matches against Arsenal.
The FA took statements from Horton, Brown and the Hull “fitness coach” Sean Rush. Brown was charged with improper conduct over this game, and also had to attend a hearing two days after the Arsenal match where he was found guilty of improper conduct in a previous match.
The FA will investigate how to stop managers making what its staff are now calling (off the record) “frivolous complaints” against the opposition – complaints which “have no basis in terms of our regulations, and no chance of success within the regulatory commission.”
Hull City brought themselves into disrepute when their submission of evidence (a “dossier” as they called it) was delayed after the assistant manager left the country and “could not be contacted” by the club.
(c) Tony Attwood 2009
Karma is coming in the guise of relegation.
I hope that they throw the entire library at brown and make such an example of him that nobody ever dares to accuse a player in the wrong again.
It may be hard for me to be objective about this but I’m pretty sure that the hundreds of cameras, the TV cameras and the dozens of journaliststhat were there focused on the pitch were fairly objective.
Phil brown’s descent into denial, paranoia and an everchanging story whilst attempting to gain sympathy over the course of his media tour was further indication of a man guilty of fabrication.
Arsenal and Fabregas should sue him for defamation of character. The Club, for his statement of what they were and I quote “all about” and Cesc for potential loss of earnings through sponsorship that the affair could have cost him due to damage to his public profile.
Brown when faced with the mildest of cross-examination from a BBC radio presenter asked if they were questioning his integrity. This from a man who was doing the media rounds for 36 hours straight whilst at the same time claiming to not want to make a big deal about it.
As for his “integrity”…..One cannot question that which does not exist.
Send us a postcard from the championship Phil.
Hi Tony
My name is Anthony & I,m writing you fron Sydney Australia, I,m second generation gooner my irish mother is a massive football & Arsenal fan with Liam Brady being her favourite player so i had no choice not that i,m complaining. I lived in London for over three years mostly in nth London & visited highbury on numberous occasions, watching Henry with the ball at his feet was to me one of the most prestigious sights in football he just seemed to get faster with the ball at his feet, I,ve never been to the emirates but hope to rectify that in the autumn with a visit to london but enough reminiscing
I am discussed & embarrassed about the treatment of wenger by fans & shareholders no less recently, I feel that your blog seems to be one of the only shining lights of sanity on this issue & i couldn,t agree with you more we are the 4th best team in Euorope with arshavin for a full season a couple of summer signings & some luck with injuries we will fill the gap between us & the united’s of the world just be patient people good times are just around the corner & critisim of wenger is unwarrented & blasphemous the last 13 years should be testament to that if rumours are true that fans are going to sing Wenger’s name at the emirates this weekend that would be a wonderful sentiment.
Thanks Tony i really enjoy your blogs humour & candid point of view in fact it’s the only one i read might see you in the autumn