@owlstalk Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 A Sheffield Wednesday fan filmed on a mobile phone chanting a racist song on a train has been banned from Hillsborough for life. The footage of Stephen Sheridan, from Retford, was broadcast on Channel 4's Dispatches series last week, in a programme showing British Transport Police officers dealing with racism, homophobia and anti-semitism by football fans on Britain's trains. Sheridan's racist chanting, as part of a song about Sheffield United, was captured on a train CCTV camera in March last year but there was no sound. But a concerned passenger, who filmed the incident on a phone, handed it in to the police and an investigation into the incident, on a Sheffield to Lincoln train, was launched. Sheridan pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public disorder and was fined £395. Sheffield Wednesday then banned him from home games for life. A club spokesman said: "Mr Sheridan was issued an immediate ban as soon as this incident came to light. “He was invited to speak in person to the club’s Safety Officer to explain his alleged behaviour but declined that invitation. “Should Mr Sheridan choose to make contact moving forward, he will be informed that following his conviction, a lifetime ban is now in place from all matches involving Sheffield Wednesday under our jurisdiction. “Sheffield Wednesday is a family-focused football club and has a zero tolerance policy toward any kind of such deplorable behaviour.” Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: “A big part of our job at British Transport Police is helping to move large numbers of people across the rail network to concerts, evenings out, and to and from work each day. “But what this Dispatches shows is that we are spending a disproportionate amount of time chaperoning grown adults around the country who are behaving badly, singing racist chants and being abusive to other passengers. “This type of behaviour is not something that anyone should have to accept. At best, it is intimidating to other people on the trains and at the stations - and at worst, it is hate crime.” In the last three years, BTP has recorded more than 2,300 football related incidents and the average cost of policing fans travelling to football fixtures is around £5 million a year. Chief Constable Crowther said: “We have worked to establish what drives bad behaviour - as many of the people we come across would not behave in the same way during the week, they have full time jobs and families. We found that it was a mix of tribalism, a feeling of anonymity within large groups and a 'what goes on tour, stays on tour' mentality. “What this programme shows is that we are working on breaking down those beliefs. It shows that we will doggedly investigate, using CCTV on trains and platforms, body worn video, mobile phone footage and overt tactics to bring people to justice. We’ll do what we can to ensure they are prosecuted and, where necessary, ensure they can no longer go to football fixtures. “We also would like to see a consistent approach from football clubs to take collective responsibility for these fans and will continue working with the rail industry to penalise those who behave badly, and offer incentives for those who do not. “It’s not ok to chant racist slurs because you’re 'out with the lads', it’s not ok to be abusive because you had 'one too many' and we’re going to make sure people know that.” Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRADDO Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 See yer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarn owl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Don't know the ins and outs of this but just glad to see the club taking a strong line against Racism and abuse. It isn't acceptable. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@owlstalk Posted November 13, 2017 Author Share Posted November 13, 2017 The song that was being chanted included the lines: “I rather be a P***, a dirty smelly P***, I’d rather be a P*** than a blade." A sergeant from the police who investigated the incident, said: “Every weekend we get reports of chants and unfortunately a lot of them do have racist undertones. “I think that is actually the first time that I have received videos where people on board are that disgusted that they are willing to take out their own phones and report these people and put themselves at risk." CCTV footage picked up three suspects leaving the train at Retford Railway Station – and one was identified as leading the chants and was also abusive to another passenger. Police then circulated the image to media outlets, including Lincolnshire Live, to try and track him down. Two months later the police had a name – Stephen Sheridan, from Retford. Dispatches showed the man being arrested and questioned by police at Newark Police Station. He said in the police interview that he was “miming” the song, not singing it. And he also said that he didn’t think the offensive word used was racist – and the song was “having a dig at Sheffield United, not at Asians.” He said: “And that’s saying we’re so diverse and we hate you scum so much that we would rather be Asian than you. And it’s not meant to be detrimental to Asian people. I don’t class it as racism, it’s just a football song. “It was banter.” Sheridan pleaded guilty to racially aggravated public disorder offence and was fined £395 at Mansfield Magistrates' Court in May 2016. A football banning order that police applied for was rejected as he had no previous football convictions. But it didn’t end there as Sheffield Wednesday Football Club independently banned him for life. Owlstalk Shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewookieisdown Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 I feel we can struggle on without this person.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OxonOwl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 3 minutes ago, @owlstalk said: ... Sheffield Wednesday Football Club independently banned him for life. Yes, well done Wednesday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdan2003 Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Good riddance.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talon Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 F***ing fool. How old is he, FFS. Grow up, you Stone Island wearing lobotomised f***ing tw*t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robowl4life Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 6 minutes ago, talon said: F***ing fool. How old is he, FFS. Grow up, you fake Stone Island wearing lobotomised f***ing tw*t. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bouncing Owl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 What a plebola! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Meadows Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 snide Stone Island as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j17tjp Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 I don’t get how racism still exists in 2017, especially in big city’s (like Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham) when there’s such a mix of ethnicity. It should’ve died out 70 years ago (at least) & people move on. Look at the various nationalities that have played for SWFC alone !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross owl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 So a fan says something racist then instant ban for life as we don't want that sort following a football team , fine no problem . A player says something racist and a bit of a fine and forget about it . In a fair society both should face the same penalty . I don't mind which penalty but both should face the same . 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 "It was banter" No it wasn't. It was someone who should know better acting like an idiot. Unfortunately a fair number of people thing going to matches makes it acceptable to behave badly, it doesn't. There are still consequences and the proliferation of mobile phones means that someone is likely to be recording what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdan2003 Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Just now, j17tjp said: I don’t get how racism still exists in 2017, especially in big city’s (like Sheffield, Leeds, Birmingham) when there’s such a mix of ethnicity. It should’ve died out 70 years ago (at least) & people move on. Look at the various nationalities that have played for SWFC alone !! There will always be a small number of bulbs in every city / fan base. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weshallovercome Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Just need to ban the ones singing it at matches now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cross owl Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 2 minutes ago, Weshallovercome said: Just need to ban the ones singing it at matches now. I have heard it sang once for about five seconds in over fifteen years . Where do they sing it ? Didnt even realise it was still sung . I'm on the kop and stunningly enough I heard it in the south after the beam back years ago . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ever the pessimist Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 7 minutes ago, Weshallovercome said: Just need to ban the ones singing it at matches now. To be fair I have not heard it at a match for over a decade. Oh, and anyone using the word 'banter' as an excuse, mitigation etc wants the book throwing at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
np pontefract Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 55 minutes ago, talon said: F***ing fool. How old is he, FFS. Grow up, you Stone Island wearing lobotomised f***ing tw*t. I hope you mean FLIPPING fool. And FLIPPING TWIT !!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Farrell Posted November 13, 2017 Share Posted November 13, 2017 Great news. Scum like him should be banned from society, not just Hillsborough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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