John Terry......

[flip_flop]

.....didn't do it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...gland-london-18827915

[flip_flop]

Sorry - there should be question.

Thoughts?

[horseshoes]

..... and I'm the Queen of Sheba.

[craft1948]

...............and I'm sick of pigs flying past the window.

[dave1948]

has been put forward for the Nobel peace prize

[anotheoldgit]

Hurray a victory for common sense at last, let's hope this will help to put an end to all these false accusations of racism.

I wonder what will be the response of the FA, after all it was their 'guilty before being proven' attitude, which relieved John Terry of his England captaincy and which in turn led Fabio Capello to resign as England's Manager.

[bazwillrun]

some of you need to actually read what was said in court and who said it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...gland-london-18827915

the prosecution a few days ago actually said in court that terry was not a racist
lip reading only 60-80% accurate...on this board there where a lot of experts if my memory serve me correctly that were 100% sure of what was said

Ferdinand expected this to have been dealt with by the FA...sound more like a statement to try and save a bit of face amongst the footballing fraternity, lets be honest nobody like a grass do they.

gonna be lot of very unhappy PC handwringers on here

[anotheoldgit]

/// gonna be lot of very unhappy PC handwringers on here ///

I think they will be noticeable by their absence baz.

[Zeuhl]

John Terry and the whole process would have emerged with more credibility and dignity if he'd just fronted up to it before any legal proceedings.

ie

"No, I'm not a racist - here are my black friends and colleagues to vouch for me"

"Yes, I did use racist language on that occassion but lots of players call each other nasty names when we're pumped up in a match"

"Sorry if you don't like it, but that's professional football. Regardless of any piddling fine anyone wants me to pay I'll give some money to a charity of Anton's choosing then we can all go for a drink."

All those involved might have earned some respect, lawyers wouldn't have screwed their big fees and we would have been spared the farce of that hearing which at times resembled the 'Derek and Clive' tapes.

[flip_flop]

I don't think I could agree with you any more if I tried Zeuhl - and I'm pretty sure my mate Alfie Noakes (who knows no jokes) would agree with me.

[bednobs]

zeuhl, i think you have written a very good response. I have not really followed the news reported about the court case, but didn't he admit to saying the words, but said the way they were said was not racist?

[bazwillrun]

"John Terry and the whole process would have emerged with more credibility and dignity if he'd just fronted up to it before any legal proceedings. "

you cant be serious can you ?

fronted up to what hes done nothing wrong let alone illegal

have you actually bothered to read some of the things that were actually said in court ?

He has done nothing wrong and the court has said so, he hasnt been warned or anything he was found not guilty.

If anything its AF who has been proven to have been at best economical with the truth.

[bazwillrun]

Its not a case pf common sense prevailing, its a case of the prosecutions case being not proveable.

JT said that had repeated what AF had said, so he hasnt said anything racist or abused anybody.

And lets not forget who started it all with this slanderous insults aimed at Terry.....AF whos evidence the judge wasnt too impressed with by all accounts

[jake-the-peg]

"It is therefore possible that what he [Mr Terry] said was not intended as an insult, but rather as a challenge to what he believed had been said to him.

"In those circumstances, there being a doubt, the only verdict the court can record is one of not guilty."


It's not exactly a ringing endorsement is it?

But it's a criminal case and if there's a doubt that's enough - sounds like a correct verdict but I don't think anybody came out of it a front runner for sports personality of the year

[Zeuhl]

baz

you can't actually hold such naive views can you?

anyone who knows professional footballers or closely follows the game knows what many of them are like.

in my experience the conduct and interplay of many of them in social situations is reminiscent of not-very-bright adolescents.

clearly JT did say what he is alleged to have said - the context may mean it wasn't 'racist' and i don't know him so i am prepared to accept he isn't a racist.

but he did say it - we all know that.
his explanation of 'repeating what he thought AF had accused him of' is ludicrous

but either way, the court proceedings was a bad joke and should never have happened.

[Zeuhl]

baz

yes, Ive read your link.

You may not have done - at least, not properly.

<AF whos evidence the judge wasnt too impressed with by all accounts>

O really? from your link:

<<Elaborating on his judgement, Mr Riddle said Mr Ferdinand was brave to give evidence, calling him a "believable witness".
.

[emmie]

what a surprise..

[bazwillrun]

Zeuhl the more you post on this the more stupid youre making yourself look.

Youre turning wriggling and squirming into an artform.

Hes been found not guilty .....get over it

[bazwillrun]

"Elaborating on his judgement, Mr Riddle said Mr Ferdinand was brave to give evidence, calling him a "believable witness".

obviously not that believable from the not guilty verdict !

how is he being brave ? laughable

[bazwillrun]

@em10

why is it a surprise ? are you insinuating that the magistrate is crooked in some way