Complaint sent to Football Association

Copy of a letter sent today to the FA, LUFC and SWFC:

Dear FA,

I write to complain in the strongest possible terms about the slanderous remarks made by the Sheffield Wednesday Manager, Dave Jones, in an interview following the match with Leeds United at Hillsborough on Friday 19th October 2012.

I attended the match with my 8 years old grandson Daniel Abbott and we watched the game from the Leppings Lane end with around 5300 other Leeds United supporters. I enclose a photograph of Daniel applauding the players, at the end of the match, who in turn were applauding us. It is part of the match day experience/ritual that Daniel enjoys. Imagine our surprise, when we heard on the car radio on the way home, Dave Jones criticising the Leeds Manager, Neil Warnock, for encouraging his players to applaud the Leeds fans. In doing so he clearly said the Leeds fans were “vile animals” in such a way that it can only be construed that he meant all Leeds fans. We did nothing to warrant such a smear and take strong exception to it.

This is clearly actionable and it surely brings the game into disrepute. Daniel and I live in Redcar and many of his school friends are Middlesbrough supporters. I do not want him to be taunted by this smear and I call on the Football Association to take action to ensure that Mr Jones withdraws his remarks about Leeds United fans in general and apologises without delay.

Yours sincerely
Chris Abbott