Updated: Sep. 20, 2006
Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has revealed his shock at the abuse he suffered at former club West Ham at the weekend.
Roeder, who had brain surgery in 2003 after collapsing, was called 'Tumour Boy' by fans and was also asked 'why didn't you die three years ago?'.
The Magpies boss, who was manager at Upton Park when they were relegated in the same year as his illness, told the Daily Mirror: 'One of the saddest things about Sunday was that when I looked at the faces of some of the people who were shouting at me, they were men of my age.
'Men in their 40s and 50s, men screaming about brain tumours and death, men who, God forbid, might find themselves in the same position as me one day.
'At least I was there to hear them yelling what they were yelling. I'm much happier that I'm alive to hear it and not lying beneath the ground somewhere.
'I was lying on a table for five hours when I had my brain operation and I recovered from my illness and I have moved on.'
Cottee slams West Ham fans over Roeder abuse
tribalfooball.com - September 21, 2006
Former West Ham star Tony Cottee has criticised Upton Park fans who abused Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder on Sunday.
Roeder, who had brain surgery in 2003 while Hammers boss, claims he was called 'tumour boy' and was also asked 'Why didn't you die three years ago?' during Newcastle's 2-0 victory.
He expressed his shock at the viciousness of the attacks and while Cottee agrees such abuse has no place in the game, he criticised Roeder for goading Hammers fans.
"I wasn't at the game but I'm aware of what was said to Glenn by fans," he said.
"I've always felt that supporters have got the right to say what they want when they pay money to watch football.
"But there is a line you shouldn't cross and those supporters were crossing the line.
"Nobody likes to hear those sort of comments - they have no place in the game or any walk of life. This was an unsavoury incident.
"But having said that Glenn Roeder did inflame the situation by waving at the away fans.
"Mistakes were made on both sides but it's all over and done with now.
"Glenn has apologised and a line should be drawn through the whole matter.
"Glenn did something in the heat of the moment and the fans said something in the heat of the moment - that's the passion of football."
I still remember WHFC fans waved red cards at Harry Redknapp when the club was going through a rough patch in 1997.
Not to mention their abuse of David Beckham, the Cockney lad who decided that the grass was greener in Lancashire.