Who Ate All the Pies is asking the question whether this was the worst tackle in soccer history.
The most striking thing about it, beyond the sheer Bertuzziesque violence of the assault, is that it warranted only a yellow card from referee Dermot Gallagher.
Related: Thatcher faces FA & police probes (BBC)
WOW! What a vicious attack (no other word for that). Knowing that Duncan Ferguson actually served jail time for a headbutt on the pitch I wouldn't be surprised to see the same happen.
The stupid thing is that the FA technically isn't supposed to heap on additional punishment because somehow the ref saw the incident and thought it only warranted a yellow card!
Ban Thatcher!
Posted by: Julian | August 24, 2006 at 03:41 PM
That is incredibly nasty. I can understand the yellow card; referees make mistakes. But holy smokes, if that isn't assault with intent to injure, I'm not sure what is.
Posted by: Garret Thomson | August 24, 2006 at 08:54 PM
He should get at least 10 games for that. No attempt to play the ball, no try to make a tackle, just a blindside, gratuitous cheap shot to the head.
Posted by: cy | August 24, 2006 at 09:29 PM
It looks like the only person that will be punished by the FA will be the referee who will be demoted for the THIRD time in his career.
Man City might take the matter into their own hands and dole out punishment.
http://www.football365.com/story/0,17033,8691_1443881,00.html
Posted by: Julian | August 25, 2006 at 09:15 AM