EFL on Quest

[thedoc]

I’m so appalled by what I have just watched on the telly that I have sent this email to the presenter. Nobody can blame Colin Murray for the drivel he has to front-up on Quest but I think what was shown was absolutely unacceptable. I will share any reply I get from him.

“Colin,

I am so dismayed by what I have just watched in EFL on Quest that I am missing the end of the programme to contact you about it.

Earlier, your production team rightly showed an idiot running onto the pitch in the Rotherham v Accrington Stanley game and upsetting the applecart. So when it was time to show the Morecambe v Bolton match, I expected the theme to be carried through as the utterly disgraceful behaviour of Bolton Fans – who ran on the pitch and got the game stopped – to be commented upon.

Instead, it was ignored altogether.

Instead, Clinton Morrison was given a platform to brand Morecambe as the most racist club ever. You may say that he didn’t actually say that – but he certainly did say that he would be reluctant to play for them.

He wasn’t there. He doesn’t know – any more than you or I do – what was said at the time.

But he has form on this – he wasn’t at the Ricoh Stadium either when Morecambe drew with Coventry City to stay in the EFL a few years ago. Then, he went on record to say it was a `stitch-up’ between the two sides. Any objective observer, however, could see that what happened was a fair reflection of the game.

I was there then and saw what happened.

I was there again today. I understand that what Clinton says about racism and his own experience of it needs to be respected. I have no problem with that and I am truly sorry to hear that he – or any other person – has had the experiences he has experienced during his lifetime.

But I do have a problem that this man is allowed to make totally unsupported accusations about my own fellow supporters which are absolutely not proven. I have written about Morecambe FC for years (shrimplythebestfootball.com) and the one thing I would say about our club is that it will not tolerate any racist or any other form of anti-social behaviour in the ground or elsewhere.

I have seen what our fans – who were thrown out of the ground – had to say about this incident:

Right for all you fans this is what really happened myself and Santa sit behind the dugout. After the Bolton fans threw a missle at our goalkeeper and ref stopped play there manager shouted it was a f....king disgrace whereby Santa replied your right mate you are a disgrace. One of their substitutes stood up and told Santa to shut the f...k up and obviously Santa told him to sit down and shut up he proceeded to then say to Santa if you don't shut up I am gonna come over there and knock you out He also told his manager that Santa was spitting at him which was a lie who then told the ref, who then told the security. The sub still continued to have a go at Santa and when I told him to shut up he said shut the f...k up you slag which was heard by everyone around us before security came to escort us out for no reason at all. Under no circumstances were we ever racist, never have been racist or condone racism in any shape or form and feel totally let down.

I have no reason to disbelieve them. But - again – I wasn’t there to hear what actually happened.

I thus make no judgement.

So why have your production team done so?

Why was the pitch invasion by Bolton `fans’ not even mentioned?

I know you do not have editorial control over any programme you are involved in Colin.

But I am equally sure – if you were me – why I feel so upset by a totally inaccurate profile of the club has been broadcast on Quest - without even a single opportunity for anyone at Morecambe FC to present a different view.

Perhaps you could in some way restore the balance.

All the Best

Dr Roger Fitton.”

[scalehallshrimp]

The efl coverage was terrible and told us nothing about what really happened,as to the post match comments

[dannymorc1]

Well said Doc. I hope that they have the decency to reply to you, and also make an apology on a future programme for prejudging the situation before a proper investigation is carried out.
Thanks also for your match reports, they are always very good and interesting.

[Born again Bill]

Maybe a strongly worded letter of complaint from the board should be sent too , for broadcasting unfounded allegations and deformation of character !

[RedRedWine]

I think you should review the timeline of your events. Pitch invasions occurred after play had already been stopped, and were not a contributing factor in players being brought off the field. Thanks for sharing your letter, I hope in sending it some of your misplaced outrage has been settled.

[dannymorc1]

Quote from Bolton manager.

"From minute one the barrage of abuse from directly behind the dugout was astonishing," Bolton boss Ian Evatt told BBC Radio Manchester.

"No protection. Encroachment, spitting and it takes the worst of all remarks - a racist remark - for somebody to stand up and do something about it.

Does he mean from minute one of the game that the “barrage of abuse from directly behind the dugout was astonishing”? If so, why did he not complain to the referee sooner? There were plenty of other officials and fans in the area that would have heard it.

Or did he just choose the time to deflect blame away from his fans throwing objects at our goalkeeper.

Either way, the reporting of it has been badly handled by the TV and Press making judgments before it has been fully investigated.

I don’t condone racism at anytime, nor I’m sure do the vast majority of football fans and if it is proven that any took place at Morecambe FC, the person or persons involved must be punished.

Also, though I don’t know how the system works, Bolton Wanderers FC should be punished for the pitch invasion by their fans.

I didn’t see the Quest programme, but I would have thought that they should have left any criticism until after the facts are available.

Just my own opinion of events.

[Keith]

"No protection. Encroachment, spitting and it takes the worst of all remarks - a racist remark - for somebody to stand up and do something about it.

While it appears that no-one other than him heard the racist remark and it has been strongly denied by the people involved, fortunately for him, there would be evidence of the spitting, which he would have reported to the fourth official, as quite clearly, if someone spat on a player, you can see it.

At least with that evidence, he'll have proof that he's not a lying twat, won't he?

No mention of him or others in his dugout calling a woman a "fucking slag"?
No mention of a disabled person being assaulted and pushed out of a mobility scooter?

[Wild Bill]

Did anything come of the Police enquiry into this?

[Freez]

No charges brought so far!

[Keith]

Did thedoc get a response from Quest?

[Wild Bill]

Surely now it can no longer be described as 'an ongoing investigation' and if the Police have come to a conclusion that it probably didn't happen, then some sort of statement should be made. I think the club suffered a good deal of damage from the accusation, so needs clearing up one way or another.

[thedoc]

Keith wrote: "Did thedoc get a response from Quest?"

No he didn't. But he didn't expect one. People like this can't justify the rubbish they broadcast so they ain't going to, are they?

[Keith]

No he didn't. But he didn't expect one. People like this can't justify the rubbish they broadcast so they ain't going to, are they?

Should have made a formal complaint so they at least have to respond.

[thedoc]

Keith wrote:
Should have made a formal complaint so they at least have to respond.

Who should have, Keith? Me or the club? To whom would we be complaining `formally' in any case?

I have spent a lifetime complaining to alleged `regulators' of one sort or another in our sainted democracy about all sorts of things. I might as well have pissed in the wind for all the good it has done. People like you and me are insignificant. We aren't from Eton or part of the elite who have always run this country - and probably always will. We don't matter - and never have.

If you want to complain - feel free my very dear nephew - but please don't hold your breath...