Kirkland assaults Warnock

[Guest firewall]

It's been a traumatic week after the events at Hillsborough last Friday, which was a full-blooded Yorkshire derby marred by our supporter confronting Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland. Everybody will be delighted the culprit got a custodial sentence but most will have wished it was longer than four months.

I didn't see the incident at the time. We'd just scored and I was trying to make sure my players got their focus back on the game as you are at your most vulnerable when you have scored. Our first thought on the bench was that Chris had been hit by a missile. Then one of our staff said he'd been hit by a fan but "it looked like he went down easy". When the match finished, TV wanted to interview me straight away and, like a fool, I actually repeated this when they asked me about the incident.

I went back in the dressing room and immediately got a phone call from Sharon. She said: "You can't say that about their goalie. The fan hit him. Have you seen it?" I had to admit I hadn't, so I asked our IT guy to find the incident on his computer – we record all matches as they happen. Then I had a shower, as I usually do after a match. I came out, saw the incident on the computer, and immediately realised the guy had really lunged at Chris and it was no wonder he went down. I thought I'd better get dressed and go and apologise to him. But as I was standing there in my briefs with a towel the door opened, a furious Chris Kirkland pushed his way in and grabbed hold of me. He's a big lad and but for the intervention of one or two of our staff he might have done something he regretted. But I honestly couldn't blame him. I'd have felt the same if it had been the other way around. I apologised to him unreservedly.

When I did the other media, someone had obviously told the BBC Chris had come into our dressing room and I am sure they were looking for a response from me about taking the matter further. There is no way I was going to get involved in that. I was just glad Chris accepted my apology and everybody moved on.

There was also a lot said after the game about the chanting. I don't think it's right to rake up again "Leeds chanted this, Wednesday chanted that", but it was obviously both sides involved and I do think this behaviour has got worse across the board. I have to say I don't enjoy standing there listening to it, whether it is directed against me or my club, or the opposing manager or his team. I don't object to people calling me a name or two, but when they get personal about your families it has gone too far. And as everyone knows there are some very distasteful chants specific to various clubs that have developed. It's not going to be easy, but we have to look at ways to stop this.

When I got home, and the dust had settled a bit, I couldn't help thinking how stupid the fan was as well as nasty. I guess if he had drunk what he claimed to have drunk – three pints of lager, 10 pints of cider and three-quarters of a bottle of vodka – his decision-making would have been badly impaired, but not only did he do what he did in full view of high-definition TV cameras, he may also have cost us two wins, which, if he is really a Leeds United fan, surely isn't what he wants.

On the night, having just equalised and got command for the first time in a game Wednesday had dominated, I thought we had a great chance of taking three points but any momentum we got from the goal was gone by the time order was restored and Chris treated.

The impact was felt at our next match too, when we were fortunate to get a point at home to Charlton. I know personally it made for a very flat weekend and I think our genuine supporters were also taken aback by what happened at Hillsborough, as we had the lowest and quietest crowd since I have been at the club. The players, too, were subdued. It was our worst performance of the season.

2. Crazy time for a derby

Looking back at last Friday's match I thought how daft it was that a Yorkshire derby, between two big teams, was played on a Friday night, giving fans far too much time to get drunk and making it less likely that women and kids would attend and soften the mood. The atmosphere was so malevolent at Hillsborough I offered to go over to our fans and try and calm them down long before the supporter attacked Kirkland.

So what do we get told this week? Our match next month away to Huddersfield Town, whose rivalry towards Leeds is even greater than Wednesday's, has been moved to a Friday night for TV as well. I can't believe the local police force and Football League have allowed this. Will the authorities never learn?

3. Black union is a risk

I am not convinced that there will be any benefits from black players starting their own union. It could be a divisive move that would put at risk all the good things that have been done over the last few years.

Personally I have not encountered racism at matches, or in clubs I have worked in, for many years. As far as I can tell most people in football do not take colour into account when judging people. I certainly don't.

At QPR I signed about five or six players the summer after we went up. We came to take the team photograph and one of the players who had been at the club the previous year asked me, tongue in cheek, in front of the other lads: "Gaffer, have you got a thing against signing white players? All the players you've signed are black."

I hadn't even noticed.

4. Fletcher's a top pro

I was delighted to see Darren Fletcher get a full 90 minutes in midweek. This is a lad who would probably be one of the first names on Alex Ferguson's team sheet if he was fully fit. To come back from such a debilitating illness takes a strong mentality and Fletcher epitomises why Manchester United keep doing well. He is in the same mould as Gary and Phil Neville, Steve Bruce, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and others, really good professionals. I do wish him well.

[Ever the pessimist]

Man is a grade A cretin, but knows how to use the media well. Nearly manages to make people feel sorry for poor vulnerable, loveable Neil being confronted by big bad Chris.

Like the way it is his team who are perceived to have lost out ue to it all; costing them 4 points. Pleased to say I was never one of those whose attitude to him had softened. The man is a vindictive, snivelling, lying, cheating rat of a 'man'

[Guest intercity0wl]

Man is a grade A cretin, but knows how to use the media well. Nearly manages to make people feel sorry for poor vulnerable, loveable Neil being confronted by big bad Chris.

Like the way it is his team who are perceived to have lost out ue to it all; costing them 4 points. Pleased to say I was never one of those whose attitude to him had softened. The man is a vindictive, snivelling, lying, cheating rat of a 'man'

Well said that man, and at Leeds he has finally sold his full soul to the devil.

[Guest totemowl]

Man is a grade A cretin, but knows how to use the media well. Nearly manages to make people feel sorry for poor vulnerable, loveable Neil being confronted by big bad Chris.

Like the way it is his team who are perceived to have lost out ue to it all; costing them 4 points. Pleased to say I was never one of those whose attitude to him had softened. The man is a vindictive, snivelling, lying, cheating rat of a 'man'

I'll have to disagree.

He's a lot worse than that.

[@owlstalk]

[Ronnie Starling]

I made the effort to see what Warnocks actions were at the end of the game which were

Shake hands with the Wednesday staff

Send his players over to the Scum

Try and make Luke Varney go to the Scum

Shake hands with some of the Wednesday players

Not once did he attempt to seek out Chris Kirkland and see if he was ok regardless of how hard he thought he had been struck. That one action emphasied what a bellend Warnock is.

[dorian gray]

if kirklands had hold of warnob then didn't we ought to have a whipround for chris, and get him a medal...

[darklord]

Trying hard to get the image of colin in his pants out of my head

[Wolfmanjack]

In or around 1980 Warnock was player/manager of a team called The MIdland in the Rotherham Metro Sundy League, and he was exactly the same then. He and his players used to question every single decision which was given in favour of the opposition, and even for simple throw in's if theyw ere given against The Midland, Warnock and at least two of his players would crowd round the linesman or referee trying to pressure them.

He and his team displayed no sportsmanship at all, and he's maintained that ethic throughout his managerial career. He was the chiropodist for the Kiveton Park doctor's practice at the time, and is still remembered as being very unpleasant and very unpopular.

Nowt's changed, and his antics last Friday are no surprise at all.

[chris55515]

Man is a grade A cretin, but knows how to use the media well. Nearly manages to make people feel sorry for poor vulnerable, loveable Neil being confronted by big bad Chris.

Like the way it is his team who are perceived to have lost out ue to it all; costing them 4 points. Pleased to say I was never one of those whose attitude to him had softened. The man is a vindictive, snivelling, lying, cheating rat of a 'man'

Totally agree.

He's like an uglier version Cyril Sneer

[shandypants]

Can't be arsed to read all of that. Long posts aren't good for a Saturday morning. Well done anyway.

[sten]

Tis an excellent post. My buddy is a Leeds fan and says that if he'd been at Hillsborough last Friday, he'd have been singing 'Warnock's a Wonka' as well.

[Guest Bedders]

"Win-at-all-costs" manager!

As far as I am concerned that's not the Northern way as I know it! Must have lived elsewhere for too long!

Don't like the man........and after the little smirk on tv (we all know the one) don't think much will change my mind now. Controversial I know, in this "we must all love everybody" day & age we live in, but I just cannot like a person like that.

Body language appears to say one thing as he verbally says something totally different......................

Edited October 27, 2012 by Bedders

[Guest Big Guns]

Why's he need a shower after the game ?