Shelvey is strong enough to ignore all the insults – but he shouldn’t have to accept it
ELLIOT ASKS WHY SHOULD JONJO HAVE TO TAKE STICK FROM FANS AND PLAYERS
ROB Elliot has questioned why the abuse hurled towards Jonjo Shelvey is meekly accepted in football.
The Newcastle United and England international midfielder has suffered with alopecia since being a child and is a regular and easy target for some of football’s trolls on and off the pitch.
Shelvey found himself at the centre of an FA probe last season during the home defeat to Wolves when opponents players accused him of racism after he’d endured taunts about his own condition.
Shelvey has always denied such claims but has continued to receive vile abuse from home supporters when United are on the road.
Last season Wolves fans were extremely vocal with racist chants directed towards Shelvey while this season alone the player received abuse from Swansea and Brighton fans during United away days.
Elliot has now called for equality and some understanding from those who feel it is OK to hurl abuse in the direction of the United player.
Elliot told the Chronicle: “We all know about Jonjo’s ability and his mentality.
“But what you have to realise and it’s a point I have stressed a lot of times which doesn’t get picked up on in public – is that you talk about all of this equality and stuff like but it doesn’t seem to apply to this.
“Jonjo gets abuse from all the away fans every time because of a condition he’s got. “Everybody laughs about it because he’s Jonjo and he’s a white lad or bald skinhead. “But he’s not, he’s got alopecia and it’s a condition. “And it does get to him (abuse). “I’m not saying it gets to him badly. “But what you have to realise is that he’s still a young man and he handles the pressure really well. “He gets abuse everywhere he goes.”
Speaking about the abuse earlier this season, Shelvey said, in a piece with the Daily Mail: “I have to live with it.
“We played Leeds last season and when I went out to warm up it was: “Shelvey, you racist”.
“We played Wigan at home and a lad in their team came straight through me in the first minute, straight down the back of my calf.
“Then he has slapped me on the head as I got up and called me a “Bald racist c**t”. “Then he ran off. “But you are going to get that as that is what I have been accused of doing. “I am going to take it because I have to. “Judgement was made. “I am not one to be overly bothered. “I know deep down who I am. “If my daughter was getting something at nursery or something then that is when it will become a problem. “But to shout stuff at me, fine. “They are not gonna come on the pitch and punch me in the face, are they?
“What can people actually do to me to hurt me? Not much.”
Elliot, though, insists every single player is right behind Shelvey.
And he says that the midfielder can be the difference for Newcastle this season when he’s on song.
He added: “His performances since coming back have meant the spotlight has been on him because of what happened against Spurs.
“And it’s just great for him to show his quality, because when Jonjo is on the pitch we are a better team and I think it shows.”
We played Leeds last season and when I went out to warm up it was: “Shelvey, you racist”. Jonjo Shelvey