‘FANS ABUSE MY SON EVERY WEEK’
KENNY SHIELS has claimed that his son Dean is the victim of sickening abuse from rival supporters on a weekly basis. The Dunfermline star, who had an eye removed as a result of a childhood accident, was taunted by Falkirk fans who threw fake eyeballs at him during a Championship match at East End Park on Tuesday. Although the match delegate has mentioned the shameful incident in his report to the SPFL,
Sportsmail understands the governing body are unlikely to open disciplinary proceedings after a swift and unreserved apology from the Bairns was followed by a vow to work with Dunfermline officials to identify the culprits. But Shiels’ father Kenny, the former Kilmarnock manager, said this week’s
disgraceful scenes were far from an isolated incident.
‘It’s been going on for a while in Scotland,’ he told BBC Northern Ireland. ‘Dean played in the Edinburgh derby (for Hibs) and got it there, then he got it at St Mirren — he gets it every week.
‘But this was premeditated. Someone... (has gone to buy) eyeballs in a shop.
‘Falkirk played Inverness in a game three weeks ago. Dean had no association with that match, but they were singing songs about him at that game as well.
‘And it’s not just a few (fans). It’s not nice for a boy who has mapped out a career for himself in professional football, which is a fantastic achievement with his handicap.
‘The doctor tells him, at the age of 11, that he should be taking up recreational sport as opposed to professional football because they knew that was his dream.
‘So achieving that under those circumstances is hard enough, but then you’ve got the other stuff as well.
‘It’s hard for him. But he’s a strong boy and he’ll get through it okay.’
Falkirk and Dunfermline officials will meet today to sift through CCTV footage in a bid to deal with the morons responsible.
Expressing his disgust, Falkirk technical director Alex Smith told Sportsmail: ‘The people doing these things have to realise they are damaging the club and I think we all want to see it finished.
‘From our point of view, our club has handled this situation and I would like our fans to let this kind of thing go in future and not get involved in it again.’
Currently locked in a relegation battle after one win in their last 11 games in the Championship, the missile-throwing was the latest in a series of negative headlines dogging Falkirk.
‘This has been a difficult time for the club with so many different things happening and different situations,’ added Smith. ‘We have enough on our plates right now without this kind of thing. It really needs to stop.’
Dunfermline chairman Ross McArthur has already spoken to Falkirk countpart Margaret Lang over working together to catch and ban those responsible.
‘I spoke to the Falkirk chairwoman on Tuesday night and agreed we would look at the various footage and work with them to try and identify those who threw the missiles,’ he said.
‘Behaviour of that kind is totally unacceptable in modern-day society, never mind at a football ground.
‘The way Dean has handled himself throughout this has been exemplary. He’s been a credit to the club and his family.’
PFA Scotland chief executive Fraser Wishart also condemned those reponsible, saying: ‘We find it extremely difficult to understand the mindset of these individuals and are sure that the vast majority of Falkirk supporters will be appalled at this behaviour and the good name of their club being tarnished in this way.
‘Nobody should have to endure such abuse at their place of work, football pitch or otherwise, and it’s beyond our comprehension anyone would think such behaviour acceptable.’
Tuesday’s match was the first meeting between the teams since Falkirk players Kevin O’Hara and Joe McKee received lengthy bans for taunting Shiels, 32, about his handicap during an Irn-Bru Cup tie in October.