• Spurs vow to support police

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1. They cannot be jobless given the price of football tickets but they might be mindless.

2. Sol would have known that forever and a day, he would be the subject of criticism from Spurs fans for crossing Finsbury Park to the Goons. It's happened to others, so it isn't just Spurs fans who do this.

3. Pat Jennings made the move but that was when Spurs were relegated from the old First Division and most people did not want to see a fine stalwart play beneath his status; no comparison.

4.As the late, great Bill Shankley said, football is not a matter of life and death, it is more important than that, so those who do not appreciate the emotions involved, butt-out.

5. Yes, he moved to better himself but he did so at the expense of Spurs - who got no fee for what was a £17-18,000,000 player at the time - and their supporters who had reason to believe he was not going to move that season.

6. Racist abuse is unacceptable but as I understand it, it wasn't used at Portsmouth. Homophobia is also unacceptable but whilst it may seem odd to many, this wasn't homophobia; it was abuse of a player by whatever means those supporters could find to display - rightly or wrongly - their distatse, their opinion - of his conduct towards the club. That might be splitting hairs but there it is.

7. Why are the police involved (a) political correctness gone and(b) the supposed offenders are easy pickings on the arrest and conviction list in police terms.

It will end in tears.

- Steven Dale, London, England, 11/12/2008 17:14
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All the talk of 'racism' is absloute rubbish, Spurs fans are die hard and anything but racist, we've got no end of black and asia supporters AND we're based in N17 (not many white faces in this area) for christs sake. The chant has got all the daily mail readers wound up that it's referring to a black man being hung is utter nonsense. Campbell did not handle the transfer to our hated neighbours well at all (anyone who actually knows what happened will know what I mean) regardless of what he acheived there. Now don't get me started on all the anti semitic bile we've endured for years!!

- Mattspurs, Hitchin England, 11/12/2008 16:30
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Dont your fellow football fans make you laugh! Steve, Brainless, cant wait til sunday 18th january 2009 so he can sit in his armchair, fag in one hand, beer in the other and give 'judas' all the abuse he deserves

What a life, what am i missing?

- Footiefan, London, 11/12/2008 16:05
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lots of comments about campbell being a judas when the biggest judas in football is redknapp whom you spurs fans welcomed with open arms,hypocrites comes to mind!

- Man, portsmouth england.




not me fella cant stand the bloke and i aint 1 of the happy clappers. season ticket holder as well.


and ole judas deserves everything he gets and we cant wait till january when he play you at the lane. but odds on he's injured or in the priory for stress etc.

sunday 18th january 2009 live on sky cant wait.

- Steve, braintree, 11/12/2008 13:12
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Mrs. Smart, nice in theory. In reality, nothing is going to stop some spurs fans from shouting and chanting what they want. Next time, they will hide their faces when they do it. I do not agree with racism in any form but Sol did screw over Tottenham royally and he has to expect some abuse. I would like us to chant "Judas" or "Scum"!! You know, something generic!!! Anything we can to put him off his game without over stepping the line. After all, that is the aim.

- Don Marr, London, UK, 11/12/2008 07:56
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Racisim is something that will be in some people's hearts forever,however people can't do without each other'meaning whites can't do without blacks and blacks cant do without whites'.
we all need each other.I think it would be disastrous if one day we had to do away with all black people in Uk jobs,sports, hospitals, shops,nursing homes and offices,imagine how many lives would die just in one day and football too would not be interesting to watch without black people.we need each other and lets ignore the colour factor.those racists fans should be brought to justice by all means.

- Eagle, london, 10/12/2008 21:38
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lots of comments about campbell being a judas when the biggest judas in football is redknapp whom you spurs fans welcomed with open arms,hypocrites comes to mind!

- Man, portsmouth england, 10/12/2008 21:16
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Scumbags and racists one and all, as indeed are some of the cretins defending them here. If you are calling someone a black B""tard then there are no if or buts about where you are coming from, you are a racist, pure and simple.

- James Hennessy, london england, 10/12/2008 20:54
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To Reay - are you serious? So because he left to make more money (don't blame him, blame capitalism) he deserves to be subjected to racist and homophobic taunts? That is NEVER acceptable. So if you do something wrong I guess you'll be alright with your bosses insulting you on the grounds of your race. Get real and grow up!

- Mrs Smart, London, 10/12/2008 16:57
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Yes the song is unacceptable, but SIXTEEN fans could NOT sing that loud. AGAIN,the police are going to try to make an example of some fans, Maybe they need to publish photos of EVERY football supporter from all clubs who sing naughty songs,there will thousands of arrests, innocent till proven guilty. Its funny how the media have jumped on the bandwagon to slam Tottenham Hotspur, forgetting ALL the abuse Tottenham fans have to take every week

- Marney, london, 10/12/2008 16:51
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I have absolutely no sympathy or pity for Sol Campbell whatsoever. I am black myself but Sol knows better than anyone how he was going to be villified and cruelly taunted over his move to Arsenal from Spurs. He was totally mercenary, not even giving Spurs the satisfaction of a transfer fee. He held out until his contract ran down and then left for Spurs biggest rivals, and in the process making himself the highest paid player in the land. He was always aware that payback was gonna come back at him whenever he faced Spurs. (He would have been well aware of Paul Inces merciless villification from West Ham fans)To make complaints now is sheer hypocrisy. The police should charge him with wasting police time cos it's a situation entirely of his own making and could easily have been avoided simply by going to a different club. There is no innocent injured player here. It is a mercenary who got greedy and is now bleating when the expected villification happens

- Reay, london, 10/12/2008 16:36
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Catch them & punish them. Make them watch every single Tottenham match. Maybe not, thats real abuse!

- Rob Gooner, NORTH London, 10/12/2008 16:15
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Well out of order. Sol gave his all for Spurs and England and is a bastion for sport and gentlemanly behaviour. Dignified in his silence. I love him and always will.

Please Sol, dont judge all Spurs's supporters by these idiots. We do and always will love you mate. God Bless.
Jags

Paul Jardine xxx

- Paul, Bromley, Kent, 10/12/2008 16:05
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I sometimes think that 30 years ago when anything was allowed at footy matches, there was less trouble elsewhere. The villains had their 90 minutes of mutual carnage and there was peace for the rest of us for the rest of the week.

- Martin H Watson, Teddington, 10/12/2008 15:47
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Finlay, the problem with supporters in this country, they don't have a football brain, because he left Spurs and went to Arsenal a very long time ago, why still abuse him?
Paul Robinson,left, Keane got small boos, what will Berbatov get? Shouting homophobic abuse won't undo why he left Spurs, he left Spurs and did win things..
Leave him alone, Let bygones be bygones...
Oh yeah, Pat jennings left Spurs and went to Arsenal, these fans did'nt abuse him!

- Adrian, London, 10/12/2008 15:39
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If Sol Campbell cannot take the stick, think of the ordinary team supporters who have to take the abuse from other team supporters when their team is not doing well........stuck at the bottom of the league.

- Allen, London, UK, 10/12/2008 15:34
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Can someone point out the homophobic part of the chant, or are you saying only gays get HIV? If so then YOU are all being bigots. Also it seems to be okay to call all footy fans morons. Uneducated is not always the fault of the person but you are condemning them too. How many more sweeping statements and stereotypes are you lot going to mention. You are education ist, football fan ist and fat ugly ist. Listen to yourselves or change the words slightly (sub Asian for footy fans, sub immigrants for uneducated and sub black for fat ugly and see how you sound. It seems some groups are okay to attack but not others.

- Bobajob, Andover, 10/12/2008 14:52
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"Footballfan" why is he a judas??? because like many others he has left a club to go to another for more money??? Your comment reeks of racism...yet another football fan with a very small brain and zero integrity!

- Nicky, london, 10/12/2008 14:34
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Man Love? Sure. Being Black? Absolutely fine. Answering every single question ever with the phrase "Er well y'know" Shameful.

Being a St Lucian Irishman from Vietnam I can wholeheartedly say, its not racist, but in terms of imaginative lyrics, school report would read 'could do better'

- James Mcardle, London, 10/12/2008 14:13
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There is never, never, never a good reason for hate filled chanting, racist or otherwise; its childish, pathetic and unnecesary.

RE Campbell being a 'Judas'; not being a football fan I have no idea why he is being called this, but I think its hilarious how some fans take this kind of thing so personally. He probably moved because it was good for his career and not because he doesn't like you all personally, you poor ikkle boys, OK?

Heads up anyone who chants this kind of rubbish - get a life. There are bigger things to get angry about, ITS ONLY A GAME!

- Wendy K, London, 10/12/2008 14:03
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Anyone who defends these morons needs their head examined. I heard the abuse and it was vile and virtually non-stop. Tottenham supporters are the worst in football; disloyal and utterly imbecilic - there are children at the ground for god sake - they shouldn't have to listen to this disgusting garbage.

These people should never be allowed in a football ground again, and the FA and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club are a complete disgrace. The FA has not even come out and supported its own player and the club has yet to even criticis the thousands of supporters that took part.

Toothless cowards - the supporters, FA and the club itself.

- James, London, 10/12/2008 14:02
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As a parent and football fan I'd rather not have my kids exposed to this filth if we decide to attend a match together. I'm all for genuine wit from the terraces, even if the language is a bit colorful at times. Unfortunately what we're getting here is abuse of the lowest possible form which shows a complete lack of humour and, frankly, intelligence.

Why is this acceptable in a football ground? Anyone who thinks that these fans are guilty of just "singing along" or that Sol Campbell is well paid and should accept it has to ask themselves if they would say the same things in any other situation and not expect to get arrested.

Hope they all get caught and banned

- Just A Fan, Berkshire, UK, 10/12/2008 13:54
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Why don't they trace them through the seat numbers?

- Terry, London, 10/12/2008 13:41
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I thought that the qualifications needed to pay lots of money, to watch morons kicking a ball, was that you were also moronic. Surely, the WAGs have proved this point.

- Frederick, London UK, 10/12/2008 13:35
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Why is it that you rarely see a photograph these days of a suspected/wanted criminal in the papers but as soon as it's football related the police and the newspapers are quite happy to print photos of those whose guilt has yet to be established?

- Mark, South-East London, 10/12/2008 13:20
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Ironically, if statistics are to be believed, at least one of these men is gay himself. Second one down on the right I reckon.

- Keith, Kings Cross, London, UK, 10/12/2008 13:20
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I am an Arsenal fan, but on Spurs's side this time! When you are to meet Man U, you can expect this type of negative news in the same week, it is part of the Fergie-bandwagon package!
Amazingly, NO TEAM plays Thursday and then Saturday again, EXCEPT WHEN FACING MAN UNITED! It is appalling that this happen, but worse that the media let the FA get away with it!

- Arian, Guildford, 10/12/2008 13:08
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Closet homosexuals the lot of em,you know what they say about men in denial.I would like to know how many of these men in the rogues gallery have got girlfriends,i would say a low percentage.Just because Sol chose to join a superior team (Arsenal)these sad inadequate people have to find a way to vent their anger,jealousy and frustration and sadly the only way they can do this is to target a man who is everything they can never be.Dont let em get to you Sol.

- Jim Ex Pat,N1, thailand, 10/12/2008 13:04
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i agree the abuse was never racist, it is quite harsh and the homophobic part is still wrong but playing the race card isn't needed, if they're referring to the hanging from a tree bit, it's not about lynching, it's about judas, who hung himself. Sol should just man up, he really did screw spurs over a bit.

- Finlay, London, 10/12/2008 12:58
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This is pathetic - the police will not be able to prove that the people in these photos were not miming. Total waste of time, all simply to appease a whiny little judas like Sol Campbell. What's next, will police arrest any fans who fail to applaud after an african team's national anthem at wembley? Police State gone mad, just looking for soft targets instead of catching drug-dealers and killers.

- Footballfan, London, 10/12/2008 12:52
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Even if they are Tottenham Fans, this is a well over the top reaction. surely the police have better things to be getting on with. i think Campbell is a big enough boy who gets paid a huge salary to take this stick.......

- Jonny, London, 10/12/2008 12:41
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I agree totally with Gary,this mob look like a bunch of jobless morons with useless things going on in their lives..there is no room for these so called fans in any ground...Also can the Police get on wit hreal police work instead of chasing down nonsense like this,it does unfortunately happen in every ground,mostly at derby games where that extra edge creeps in amonst fans..the West Ham fans are terrible with their JEWISH TAUNTS SO GO AND CHASE THEM DOWN ALSO..The police like the easier crimes as solving murders,knife crime and rapes and muggings are beyond them

- Evs, Herts, 10/12/2008 12:32
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I totally agree racism has no part to play in football, and the race card was played on this issue as well as the homophobic issue. I would just like to remind these people we have all races creed and colour in our team (spurs). I agree the homophobic issue was very intense but this goes on every week at every football ground that is mainstream. I think if your going to punish these particular individuals then you have to look at the incdents of ashey cole, david beckham, mido, etc do i need to go on ...... just ban them from every football ground in the country if needs must, not for 1 year but for life. Also i agree with delphine you have published pictures of people and not what they have chanted, a libel case and damages possibly pending for hampshire constabulary i think.

- Greg, barrow cumbria, 10/12/2008 12:29
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This chant has been going on for at least two years and before Campbell moved to Fratton Park. It was mentioned in the Guardian the day after it was first chanted, the week after Campbell went AWOL before a match. It has been sung at White Hart Lane, in the pubs around the ground on matchday and at Fratton Park itself.

There is no way it could be considered racist. In fact, it is everything but. The reference to 'hanging from a tree' is not racist, but merely vitriolic hatred.

In fact, because the chant is now so old, its effect has worn off on the Spurs fans who now regard it as a fairly acceptable piece of banter. I, myself have chanted it many times at White Hart Lane and in those pubs, even though I was fairly disgusted by it at first.

Be careful - those fans pictured here are not racists, but football fans who have latched on to a very catchy chant. Ignorant, yes (like me). Racist, no.

- Dean, N17, 10/12/2008 12:23
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"They may be totally innocent, or may have been chanting something innocuous - Delphine, Oxford"

Well Delphine as anyone who's seen Wayne Rooney "chatting" to referees and linesmen will tell you, lip reading ain't exactly difficult in such circumstances.

- Ed, London, 10/12/2008 12:16
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Just try proving, who said what about whom.The police spend more time on name calling than fighting crime.What I have been called in my life, I just gave back harder. What a namby pamby lot .

- Richard Partridge, Eaton Bishop UK, 10/12/2008 12:12
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Gary, thanks for proving that footballs fans are a little bit stupid.

There is a massive difference between booing someone and chanting Homophobic abuse a them.

- Liberal Thinker, UK, 10/12/2008 12:11
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every one of them looks "brain dead" to me. If this is the best of British then God help us.

- Alan, London, 10/12/2008 11:50
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Why are they trying to make this a race issue, the abuse was out of order but it wasn't racist, never has been toward campbell however it has been homophobic (literal translation = fear of men !) and extremely abusive therefore completely wrong. Playing the race card when it's not justified just makes it harder to believe genuine accusations of racism (cry wolf too often).

- Bobajob, Andover, 10/12/2008 11:28
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I'm a Spurs fan and proud of my anti-racist beliefs. Campbell gets homophobic abuse but I've never heard any racist abuse against him. If the police want to turn football supporters into criminals, could they also release footage of the Arsenal fans who booed Ebouey on Saturday and of the West Ham fans who make the hilarious 'escaping gas' sound whenever their team play Spurs? Or maybe the police could go out and catch some real villains for a change, if that isnt too much like hard work?

- Gary, London, 10/12/2008 11:24
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Whilst I would condemn any racist abuse in the strongest possible terms, I'm not sure it's a good idea to have those people's photos published. They may be totally innocent, or may have been chanting something innocuous.

- Delphine, Oxford, 10/12/2008 10:45
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Ever noticed how people who are openly racist and homophobic and bang on about racial superiority are often fat, ugly specimens like these morons. Bigotry is more often than not motivated by low intelligence and/or jealousy, or a combination of the two - I mean, just look at Sol Campbell, who's handsome, athletic and talented and clearly has the brains and ambition to succeed in life. And then look at them. No wonder they're jealous - people who are happy with themselves don't generally go around picking on others.

- Lw, London, 10/12/2008 10:30
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