Post by K19 on Feb 22, 2020 11:54:15 GMT
An independent Regulatory Commission has ordered Barnsley FC to implement an action plan and fined the club £20,000. In addition to the fine, Barnsley FC will also be responsible for all costs incurred to implement the requirements of the action plan.
The FA investigated reports of discriminatory chanting during a fixture against Stoke City FC in the EFL Championship on 9 November 2019 and subsequently charged Barnsley FC with a breach of FA Rule E20.
Barnsley FC admitted failing to ensure that its spectators, and all persons purporting to be its supporters or followers, conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from using abusive and/or insulting words which included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or religion and/or beliefs while attending the fixture.
This is reference to a Stoke player who refused to wear the poppy shirt on Remembrance Day - got stick from the Barnsley fans for his stance. Personally, I think his club should have been fined for giving him a shirt without a poppy - it's akin to a player not wearing a black armband when everyone else does so. But the point is that Barnsley FC was punished because of the bit in bold above. Whatever your opinion on the fairness of the punishment, it draws a clear line for everyone else in England - Sectarianism will not be tolerated.
Imagine if the SFA/SPFL had any balls about them and decided to apply the same standards in Scotland - Sevco and Celtic would be relegated within a season. Clubs like Hearts would get a couple of shots across the bow too, no doubt, but I think the message would get across when the punishments hit home.
The Uglies have been fined time and again (almost every match?) by UEFA. What will it take for the SFA/SPFL to act and what, if anything, can other clubs/fans do to force the issue?
The FA investigated reports of discriminatory chanting during a fixture against Stoke City FC in the EFL Championship on 9 November 2019 and subsequently charged Barnsley FC with a breach of FA Rule E20.
Barnsley FC admitted failing to ensure that its spectators, and all persons purporting to be its supporters or followers, conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and refrained from using abusive and/or insulting words which included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or religion and/or beliefs while attending the fixture.
This is reference to a Stoke player who refused to wear the poppy shirt on Remembrance Day - got stick from the Barnsley fans for his stance. Personally, I think his club should have been fined for giving him a shirt without a poppy - it's akin to a player not wearing a black armband when everyone else does so. But the point is that Barnsley FC was punished because of the bit in bold above. Whatever your opinion on the fairness of the punishment, it draws a clear line for everyone else in England - Sectarianism will not be tolerated.
Imagine if the SFA/SPFL had any balls about them and decided to apply the same standards in Scotland - Sevco and Celtic would be relegated within a season. Clubs like Hearts would get a couple of shots across the bow too, no doubt, but I think the message would get across when the punishments hit home.
The Uglies have been fined time and again (almost every match?) by UEFA. What will it take for the SFA/SPFL to act and what, if anything, can other clubs/fans do to force the issue?