By FRANCO PANIZO
The Leeds United fan who assaulted Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland this past weekend will spend the next few months behind bars.
Aaron Crawley, a 21-year-old Leeds fan, has been jailed four months after pleading guilty to assault and entering the field of play during Friday’s game between the Whites and Sheffield Wednesday. Crawley was arrested Sunday after he notified officials that he was the man who aggressively shoved Kirkland in the facing before running back into the stands during the second half of the match.
Crawley, who has been given a lifetime ban by Leeds, said he did not remember attacking Kirkland until he saw replays of it on television due to the amount of alcohol he consumed prior to the match. Crawley told police officials he had several cans of lager, three-quarters of a litre bottle of vodka and seven to ten pints of cider.
Crawley has had other incidences of unruly fan behavior in his past.
Here are more stories from around the world of soccer:
ATLETICO MARDID TARGETING CHICHARITO
Atletico Madrid may not be keen on losing red-hot striker Radamel Falcao in the near future, but they are already planning who will replace him if they do. Atletico is eyeing Manchester United’s Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez as the forward who could replace Falcao if he leaves during the upcoming winter transfer window, according to reports. The Mexican international has fallen deep down the depth chart at Manchester United, and Atletico is reportedly willing to pay approximately $20 million to acquire him should Falcao head for greener pastures.
VAN BUYTEN SIDELINED FOR UCL GAME
Bayern Munich will be without defender Daniel van Buyten for their upcoming UEFA Champions League game against Lille, as he continues to nurse a rib injury. The Belgian defender did not travel with Bayern Munich to France on Monday, and he will miss Tuesday’s group stage game. Bayern Munich are currently in third place in Group F with three points.
FERGUSON, FERDINAND RESOLVE ISSUE
If there was any rift beginning to form between Sir Alex Ferguson and Rio Ferdinand, it has been patched up. The Manchester United manager said he and Ferdinand had a conversation to clear things up about the recent T-shirt incident in which the central defender did not wear an anti-racism T-shirt during the club’s warm-ups ahead of their game with Stoke City on Saturday. Ferguson cited a communication problem as to why there was even an incident about it in the first place.
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What do you think of Crawley’s punishment? Would Chicharito make a good replacement for Falcao? How will Bayern Munich fare without van Buyten?
Share your thoughts below.
4 months for trespassing and assault witnessed by how many tens of thousands of people? he must’ve had a great lawyer.
If the english drink that much on the regular, now we know why they think their football is the best…..
Re: Crawley, did no one else realize that he’s just quoting Chumbawanba’s Tubthumping?
“He drinks a Whiskey drink, he drinks a Vodka drink”
“He drinks a Lager drink, he drinks a Cider drink”
I guess Crawley blacked out regarding drinking the whiskey as well. Or maybe they only have 4 types of booze in the UK?
Stay classy Leeds!
Cider…10-12 percent alcohol. Beer is for water drinkers and mothers-to-be.
That goalie was making a meal of it. A little slap on the face? C’mon. Toughen up.
“seven to ten pints of cider.” wtf? guess i’m not british…
I’m assuming (always dangerous) that he meant hard cider – which is about 5% alcohol. Try Woodchuck Amber. And if he drank that much, how did he have time to get on the field — wouldn’t have been in the bathroom at lot???
I’m a bit surprised Atletico Madrid can afford to part ways with $20 million on a transfer fee, even with the eventual sale of Falcao, given their ridiculous debt.
I’m more surprised they are willing to pay that for Chicharito. OVERRATED.
CLAP CLAP – CLAP CLAP CLAP!
They paid more than double that to get Falcao at €40 million.
…and they’re not getting slapped around by FIFA because of this transaction, while being massively in debt.
Hence, they are selling him.
There is no such thing as “ridiculous debt” in La Liga
touche.
Wonder how that guy’s liver is doing…holy crap!
Well, this news story has a good video of the attack plus a photo of the thug in the stands with a proud sh**-eating grin on his face after the attack. The thug is moving quite nimbly and I cannot believe he he was so drunk that could not remember the attack. But it is a nice story to tell the judge.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/leeds-fan-aaron-cawley-given-1392512
Yea because “but judge I was blacked out drunk” is such a great defence it will get you out of most charges…
yeah…seems to remember very precise quantities that got him in that condition. Least he had the balls to turn himself in & face the consequences.