‘BOYCOTT WASN’T ON TABLE’
Bees caught in alleged race storm
BARNET head of football Dean Brennan quashed rumours the Bees squad may have boycotted yesterday’s National League game with Aldershot Town after the club became embroiled in an alleged race storm – and says a club meeting on Thursday was positive.
Brennan’s side beat the Shots 3-1 at the end of a week where the club made national headlines following two separate incidents.
Last weekend’s home game against Stockport County was temporarily halted after Hatters defender Ryan Johnson alleged a racist comment had been aimed at him by a Barnet staff member.
Barnet insist “the Senior Police Officer at the scene confirmed there was no allegation or substance for a criminal investigation to take place” and that the staff member and witnesses agreed something was shouted at the assistant referee, but it wasn’t racist.
Process
However the incident was reported to Kick It Out by Johnson, with his club saying in a statement they “offer our full support as a Club to Ryan throughout this process”, with the authorities investigating.
The Daily Mirror reported on Tuesday the Barnet players had asked for the staff member not to attend training on Monday.
However, the staff member arrived which is said to have led to club captain Jamie Turley confronting them and subsequently being suspended over an “alleged verbal assault”.
Barnet say “a very serious complaint was made against the player which must also be thoroughly investigated”. Reports suggested Barnet players considered refusing to play Tuesday’s game at Southend in support of Turley and because of the club’s handling of the situation but changed their minds when they were allegedly threatened with the sack because they would be in breach of their contracts.
Barnet said: “Contrary to media reports, the Club is not aware of any player being threatened with termination at any point in time.”
The Bees confirmed both the staff member and player are now suspended on full pay while investigations continue.
“It is important to stress that every individual is entitled to a fair and proper process and hearing, and the Club is committed to following best practice in relation to all complaints and grievances that are made.
“We would also like to emphasise that suspension is not an indication of guilt.”
A meeting with the players and backroom staff – attended by the PFA and Kick It Out – was held to discuss “the events of last Saturday’s match, the procedure followed and the process going forward”.
Following yesterday’s vital three points at Aldershot, Brennan, who has been in charge since Harry Kewell’s departure in September, said on the boycott rumours: “No, that was never going to happen.
“We had a very productive meeting on Thursday with the PFA, our players, the Chairman and Kick It Out.
“The club has made a statement on that. It’s an open investigation so I can’t do anything about that. There are other people involved, the FA, police, whoever else.
Open
“We just want to focus on football. There are a lot of good people at our football club. The Chairman has been excellent with me, been very open and very honest. We’ve got a really good relationship and we’re trying to filter that down and make our football club inclusive.
“We made a lot of progression on Thursday, which was fantastic for everybody involved at the football club. It was really positive stuff. We had a great conversation with the PFA, representing the players and the staff, and Kick It Out, the Chairman was there. We’ve drawn a line under it and we’ve moved on as the players and the management team.”
On losing influential captain Turley for the past two games, he added: “It’s a situation which we can’t control. We’re paid to play football matches. We can’t control anything else when we cross that white line.
“My footballing members of staff have absolutely nothing to do with this, and the players have got on with it.”