Wednesday, July 05, 2006

A dock day for old boys

It's been a day of courtroom drama for two of the most errant players in the club's history.

Lee Bowyer, now with West Ham, has pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and has been fined £600 and ordered to pay £1000 in costs following his fracas with Kieron Bowyer during the game with Aston Villa back in April of last year (my how fast and smoothly the cogs of the justice system turn!). This is in addition to the suspension and fine he received from the FA, and the fine of six weeks' wages from the club.

According to the chief prosecutor, "the criminal law doesn't cease to operate once you cross the touchline of a sports field". Fair enough, but as we've said before there's a very dubious double standard in charging footballers for little more than handbags (even if it did bring the game and club into disrepute) and yet taking no action over (and thereby condoning) the much more violent behaviour of players in other sports such as rugby and ice hockey. And lest it be thought that it's affection for Bowyer that's inspired this line of thinking, it's not - I'm glad the little runt got another public dressing-down.

Meanwhile, here in Cardiff, Liverpool's new £6m signing Craig Bellamy has pleaded not guilty to two charges of assault on a pair of women in the city in February. I'm guessing it would surprise no-one if the no-necked ankle-biter was found guilty. Might the start to his career on Merseyside be delayed by a prison sentence? We can but hope.

We're much better off without the pair of them. Good luck Alan and Rafa - you're going to need it.
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