F.A. say Chelsea thugs will be brought to book

Last updated : 21 March 2003 By Chris Parry
F.A. spokesman Adrian Bevington says:

"We are already in the process of communicating with the relevant parties, police and the clubs, through our crowd-safety advisor, trying to establish the full facts of what occured. It does take a certain period of time to establish the full facts and decide upon any course of action which may be necessary."

"Closed-circuit television now makes it easier to identify individuals and Government legislation now empowers immediate arrest and charge of anybody guilty of such offences inside stadia. If any individual is arrested, their names are circulated all over the country to prevent them accessing any grounds."

It's a shame that the Police weren't quite as keen on tackling the shaven-headed Chelsea neanderthal who, after the game, stood outside the Clock End exit on Avenell Road shouting abuse at coloured Arsenal fans.

He stood there repeatedly shouting "Come on you black Gooner c***s" not five yards from the Police, who predictably did nothing.

This sort of thing should have been stamped out years ago, but given that a section of the Chelsea fans are seemingly stuck in the seventies 'football hooligan' era then it's hardly surprising that this sort of racism is still prevalent.