Neil Warnock was spot on when he said 99.9% of our fans behaved properly at Hillsborough and it was one idiot who spoiled it by assaulting Chris Kirkland. I also agreed with 99.9% of his post-match comments but did not like the bit about Kirkland going down "like a tonne of bricks".
Warnock rightly said in his post-match interview on Sky TV that he was "ashamed" to be a manager at Hillsborough last night and Kirkland's assailant "should be thrown in bloody prison", however I did wince when he referred to the Sheffield Wednesday keeper "going down like a tonne of bricks" with a slight hint of that trademark Warnock cheeky grin which winds up opposition supporters up and down the country.
Sorry Neil, speaking as somebody who like Kirkland got assaulted in his own workplace last week (albeit verbally in my case) I did not think that sentence was apporopriate at all.I had what I could describe as "a horrible brummie dwarf" screaming he was going to wait for me after work and knew where I lived. In the cold light of day it looks and sounds ridiculous, but I don't mind admitting I was a little shaken up by the incident.
The thug who attacked the Sheffield Wednesday keeper snook up on his blindside and despite Kirkland's immense physical size, clearly he was caught off-guard and there was the shock-element also to consider as he fell to the ground clutching his face.
It was a cowardly, disgusting, unprovoked, mindless attack and could have massive repercussions for us as a football club.
However Wednesday boss Jones's emotion-charged post-match comments were also wide off-the-mark as he referred to Leeds fans as "vile animals".
Jones rightfully looked weary and upset as once again he had to endure taunts from visiting supporters about the allegations of child-abuse he was cleared of 12 years ago.
There were also chants about "Jimmy Savile - he sh*gs who he wants" ringing around the Leppings Lane End, which are totally out of order, an insult to Savile's victims and like sinister Savile, a stain on our city.
However Jones made himself look utterly ridiculous by tarring all Leeds fans with the same brush, calling for us to be "banned from every away ground" and in effect diluting the topic of racism on "Kick it out" weekend by claiming the personal abuse against him was "racism in a form" and needs "sorting out".
He also criticised the Leeds players for "waving" (applauding) our fans at the end of the same, which again is total crap and embarrassing.
Warnock was also subjected to vile, personal abuse from the home-fans due to his connections with the other half of Sheffield, including that outdated, pathetic Sheffield Wednesday band striking up the foot-tapping "Warnock is a w*nker" ditty.
The Leeds manager, who gets this sort of abuse week-in, week-out took it in his stride but I do wish he had steered away from "bricks".