Everton fans on counter charge as Emre awaits racism verdict
Dominic Fifield
Saturday January 6, 2007
The Guardian
The fallout from last weekend's tempestuous game between Everton and Newcastle took another twist last night when it emerged that away supporters have complained to the Football Association that their striker Obafemi Martins was subjected to racial abuse by home fans.
The FA is investigating claims, mentioned in the referee Dermot Gallagher's match report, that the Newcastle midfielder Emre Belozoglu racially abused the Everton goalkeeper, Tim Howard, and the centre-half Joleon Lescott. Contrary to suggestions from the Newcastle manager, Glenn Roeder, last night, that investigation is ongoing with the players asked to respond to Soho Square by next Tuesday.
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However, the FA is also obliged to scrutinise the allegations made by the away fans and has written to Everton asking for their observations. The governing body is also deeply unimpressed with Roeder's assessment that the Emre issue is now "a closed matter". "We have asked Everton and the players involved for a statement on the incident and we will look at that before deciding whether or not the matter is closed," said a spokesman.
Lescott and Howard, along with the defender Joseph Yobo, reacted furiously to comments allegedly made by Emre following the award of a penalty to Newcastle some three minutes before half-time during the hosts' 3-0 win last Saturday. The Turkey international tried to apologise to the trio only to be knocked back by Lescott and Howard. It is unclear at which point Martins, who missed the resultant penalty, was subjected to the alleged racist abuse from the home supporters.
Emre's agent has since denied that his client used racist language and Roeder stressed yesterday that the matter was no longer an issue. "There is no charge to be answered," he said. "Everton are comfortable with that as well. It is a closed matter as far as I am concerned. It has really bothered Emre, as you can imagine. We have black players in the team and in the squad and we are all together, we are all the same, and I would not tolerate anyone that showed any sign of any racism."
