Times Online - Sport
January 06, 2004
Smith to learn fate over bottle incident
By Rick Broadbent
ALAN SMITH, the volatile Leeds United striker, will learn today whether he is to be banned for three matches for losing his head in a Carling Cup tie against Manchester United. Smith was charged with improper conduct when he picked up an empty Lucozade bottle that had been thrown from the West Stand at Elland Road and tossed it back into the crowd on October 28. The hearing of his case is set for a noon start at the FA’s headquarters in Soho Square.
West Yorkshire Police later arrested Smith, prompting the FA to bar him from playing for England in a friendly against Denmark, and although no charges were brought, he is sure to receive belated punishment in the form of a ban.
If the FA deems his act to be stupid rather than violent, he could escape with a one-match ban. But a precedent was set when Jamie Carragher, the Liverpool defender, threw a coin back into the crowd at Highbury during an FA Cup tie against Arsenal two years ago. Unlike Smith’s case, the referee saw the incident and Carragher was sent off, resulting in an automatic three-match ban. The FA judged that and a £40,000 club fine as sufficient punishment.
Smith’s penchant for trouble is limiting his effectiveness to help Leeds’s battle for survival. Fortunate not to have been sent off in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Arsenal at Elland Road, he became embroiled in a heated exchange with Patrick Vieira and Edu as the players went down the tunnel.
Rob Styles, the referee, said that he dealt with the matter at the time and it would not be included in his report, but the 23-year-old’s career record of 55 yellow and eight red cards is damning.
January 06, 2004
Smith to learn fate over bottle incident
By Rick Broadbent
ALAN SMITH, the volatile Leeds United striker, will learn today whether he is to be banned for three matches for losing his head in a Carling Cup tie against Manchester United. Smith was charged with improper conduct when he picked up an empty Lucozade bottle that had been thrown from the West Stand at Elland Road and tossed it back into the crowd on October 28. The hearing of his case is set for a noon start at the FA’s headquarters in Soho Square.
West Yorkshire Police later arrested Smith, prompting the FA to bar him from playing for England in a friendly against Denmark, and although no charges were brought, he is sure to receive belated punishment in the form of a ban.
If the FA deems his act to be stupid rather than violent, he could escape with a one-match ban. But a precedent was set when Jamie Carragher, the Liverpool defender, threw a coin back into the crowd at Highbury during an FA Cup tie against Arsenal two years ago. Unlike Smith’s case, the referee saw the incident and Carragher was sent off, resulting in an automatic three-match ban. The FA judged that and a £40,000 club fine as sufficient punishment.
Smith’s penchant for trouble is limiting his effectiveness to help Leeds’s battle for survival. Fortunate not to have been sent off in Sunday’s FA Cup tie against Arsenal at Elland Road, he became embroiled in a heated exchange with Patrick Vieira and Edu as the players went down the tunnel.
Rob Styles, the referee, said that he dealt with the matter at the time and it would not be included in his report, but the 23-year-old’s career record of 55 yellow and eight red cards is damning.