Trial By Media

As a City fan, to me Saturdays game against Arsenal will go down as a sound victory against one of the title contenders/pretenders. The media have different ideas and two other incidents are taking centre-stage. The mob is being fired up into a frenzy akin to a Hammer Horror film of the 1970's. Burning torches are being distributed ready for the indignant towns-people to march on East Manchester. Graham Poll has been declared "Witchfinder General".

Let's just concentrate on one incident here, Adebayour's celebration. By now most people will have seen the Togolise striker score City's third goal with an awesome header following some nifty play on the counter-attack. Ade (sorry, I cant get my head round 'Manu' as a nickname) set off on a run of Usain Bolt proportions coupled with Jessie Owens poignancy and headed straight for the Arsenal contigent, a riot ensued.

"Adebayor, Adebayor, "his dad washes elephants, his mother's a whore." Sung to the tune of Sloop John B are the lyrics that the Arsenal fans had been singing for much of the game. They rendered it with such gusto that I, and the several families that sit near me could hear it in Block 201. For those unfamiliar with the layout of the City Of Manchester Stadium, that's just about in line to where Adebayour started his dash. Safe to say that if we could hear it, sure as hell the player himself could.

The explosion of anger from the Arsenal faithful would have been laughable if it wasn't for the fact that several stewards were attacked. In fact the vision of middle aged men who are no strangers to McDonald's Happy Meals and don't overspend at the barbers was actually quite disturbing. 'Gooners' like to think they're the gentry of football support, these scenes showed that they are anything but.

At the time of writing, Emmanual Adebayor has not been charged with any breach of FA rules. Despite this, The Mirror are asking readers on an online poll to vote on how many games he should be banned for. The Times usually runs a daily article on City because everyday they think of something negative to write. They are telling us with authority that Adebayour will receive a 4 match ban. They are even suggesting that it should be fast-tracked so Ade will miss the Derby. The Daily Mail, the 3rd member of the Unholy Trinity of newspapers that are openly anti - City are running no less than 5 seperate articles on the club today, Graham Poll, who would have probably given Ade 5 yellow cards is in full cry and deems it as serious as the Van Persie incident. I won't comment on any of the incidents that involve the Dutchman until charges are made.

I don't remember any of this furore when Gary Neville made his vastly more inciteful approach to the Liverpool fans at Old Trafford, whatsmore he hadn't even scored the goal. So Manu should get a Man U style fine for this particular incident. The offending Arsenal fans should be identified and prosecuted.

Emmanual Adebayor may have upset 3,000 racist Arsenal fans with his joyous run but he delighted 44,000 City fans. It's our stadium and that should have some bearing on whatever punishment the FA feel is appropriate.