Premier League - Police to probe Campbell abuse

Eurosport - Wed, 01 Oct 23:54:00 2008

Verbal abuse directed at Portsmouth's former England defender Sol Campbell by fans of his former club Tottenham are to be investigated by police.

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Portsmouth-Tottenham Sol Campbell - 0

A Hampshire police spokeswoman said a complaint had been received and would be "fully investigated" but added that it was at an early stage.

Campbell, who left Tottenham for local rivals Arsenal in 2001, has long been the target of Spurs fans when he plays against them but Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp said the chanting in Sunday's Premier League match at Fratton Park was "filthy".

No arrests were made at the time but Redknapp was angry at the abuse directed at his player.

"Nobody likes being called filthy names and hearing other filthy abuse," he said after the match. "It's not right."

Portsmouth won the match 2-0.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 15 of 15

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  1. Don't worry Harry, come next season you won't have to face Spurs unless you are drawn against them in a cup game, may thier free fall continue.

    From garylc, on Thu 2 Oct 6:07PM
  2. it makes me physically sick to hear that there are still such vile people in our modern society

    From gary, on Thu 2 Oct 6:05PM
  3. well commented Sean (4)what were the lyrics

    From brian d, on Thu 2 Oct 5:21PM
  4. Spurs fans are like their football a joke.
    Sol don't let them get to you your better than that & why you left Spurs!!
    Go Gooners go.

    From tc, on Thu 2 Oct 4:42PM
  5. Those spurs fans that were chanting at campbell show the mental capacity of cretins. They should save their energy in helping support the team. Hell, they need all the support they can get. Ramos can't speak english, bent up front, fairies in the middle. Spurs are doomed!!!

    From nicholasbnjmn, on Thu 2 Oct 3:22PM
  6. njburch - the Pompey stewards were taking notice. As I said at least one Spurs fan was ejected that I could see. Unfortunately it seemed like most of the visiting Spurs fans were involved so unless they made a decision to eject them all what could they have done without causing a riot?
    I'd have been very annoyed if I'd been tarred with the same brush and kicked out as I'd gone to watch the match and didn't get involved in chanting peurile abuse aimed at ex-players like Campbell. However, I don't believe that that particular chant is intended to be racist - it's clearly aimed at his sexuality and I suspect some words may only have been included to make it rhyme. I could be wrong, but I doubt any of the "authors" of the song will confirm either way on here.

    From Kentish Maid, on Thu 2 Oct 2:12PM
  7. I read that the police and the Portsmouth stewards didn't do anything because there were a lot of supporters doing it!! I find this unbelievable if this is true. There must be CCTV evidence to bring these fans up on charges and banned for life.
    Whether the club is fined or not doesn't mean anything these days as it was with Croatia getting a token fine. If it is a fine then make it in the hundreds of thousands or millions. Also make them ply at home behind closed doors for a few games. I know this is unfair on the other fans but it is also their responsibility to report this type of racial abuse as well.

    From Nicholas, on Thu 2 Oct 1:03PM
  8. As a Spurs supporter at the Pompey match I cringed with embarrassment and distaste at the fans singing those foul songs about Campbell. I think he's suffered his fair share of abuse over the years since he left us and enough is enough. Yet at the other end of the spectrum we gave warm applause to Jermain Defoe, even after he scored the penalty which effectively doomed us - why there's one rule for Campbell and another for Defoe I don't know, though presumably it's because Defoe didn't leave for Ar5ena1.

    ncforum1 - I don't think a ban on Spurs home games is the answer as that would penalise those fans who genuinely want to watch them play. Much like the crackdown on the crowd violence of previous years, those who are the most vociferous need to be identified and dealt with so that the rest of us can watch our team play (even when they lose) without having to hear such vile songs being belted out for most of the game. I believe at least one Spurs fan was ejected by the Pompey stewards on Saturday, so they obviously have some ability to tackle it. Mind you, if they'd ejected all the fans who were singing those fould words there'd have been very few of us left supporting our boys.

    From Kentish Maid, on Thu 2 Oct 1:31AM
  9. I don't condone any form of racism but let's face it Cambell would have been abused even if he was white the Spurs fans see him as a traitor for going to Arsenal, many players have recieved this treetment after leaving their clubs especially if they were heros like Cambell was at Spurs.
    One thing made me laugh the FA don't want to fine Spurs as it will be seen as unjust, can you ever remember the FA worrying about justice. They even allow phantom goals, it's time they got their priorities right.

    From Ronsenglish, on Thu 2 Oct 12:53AM
  10. spurs fans should not be upset , because when he left spurs he wasn`t under contract. He left because spurs fail to match his ambition. If any football club fans should be upset, it should be Arsenal fans. He left arsenal in what might be described as false pretences. He left under a cloud, but Mr Wenger was kind enough to let him go for nothing.And for spurs fans to hold a grudge since the turn of the century is unbelievable. All I can say is how depressing it must be being a spurs supporter, incapable of loking foward.

    From ridahjake, on Wed 1 Oct 11:58PM
  11. I think it's pretty SAD when you consider this is sport, a game..! I'm a Spurs supporter but it's awful to hear nasty, vile songs like this! I'd like to say it's a small minority but I'm afraid this is the underclass that is ruining this country (The Jeremy Kyle generation)! It's no wonder I don't take my children to a match to be subjected to this mindless filth!

    Here's the proof: you tube(dot)com/watch?v=eHEzq7NYRls

    From Dextrous, on Wed 1 Oct 11:12PM
  12. what were the lyrics?

    From Sean, on Wed 1 Oct 10:12PM
  13. no wonder ... all racist are losers ....I think Campbell should ignore them .... and every body else should ignore them ...though of course they should be made to account and example for all racist ...

    From abdessattar@..., on Wed 1 Oct 8:04PM
  14. This would be a good time to make an example. Perhaps, no more home games this season for Spurs would be a step in the right direction

    From Soccer kid, on Wed 1 Oct 7:19PM
  15. The lyrics of the chants were disgusting, they (Spurs fans) have to be made an example to the rest of the racists.

    From Alex R, on Wed 1 Oct 6:40PM
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