Arsenal culprits face life ban

Steve Stammers13 April 2012

ARSENAL today promised to ban for life any fan found guilty of hurling coins at Liverpool's Jamie Carragher.

Carr agher was so incensed by the missile-throwing at Highbury that he threw a coin back into the crowd. It hit one spectator and rebounded on to a woman nearby.

Police on duty at the game took witness statements and will report the matter to the Football Association.

Carragher later said: "I regret what happened. I let down the club, the fans, my team-mates and myself."

That apology may not be enough to save him from police action. A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "We are investigating an incident which occurred at Highbury. I cannot rule out charges."

The FA will look into the incident and Carragher faces a three-match ban and club fine of up to two weeks' wages. It may also have an adverse effect on his chances of making Sven- Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad in the summer.

Arsenal's focus today turned to identifying and punishing any fans in the East Lower stand who sparked the conflict by throwing missiles at the Liverpool defender.

Vice-chairman David Dein told Standard Sport: "They will be banned for life. There is no place for that kind of behaviour at Arsenal and we will not tolerate it. We have the right to impose a ban and we will do so."

Arsenal will use footage from closed circuit television cameras and the match video to identify the supporter who threw the coin at Carragher.

Three players were sent off by referee Mike Riley in Arsenal's 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory - Arsenal's Martin Keown and Dennis Bergkamp and Carragher.

Bergkamp, who scored the winner, was sent off for the third time in his seven-year career at Arsenal for a twofooted lunge at Carragher. As Bergkamp trooped off, Carragher was pelted with coins.

Arsenal play Bristol Rovers or Gillingham in the fifth round at Highbury but both Bergkamp and Keown are likely to be suspended. Bergkamp faces a three-game ban and Keown will miss two matches after his second red card of the season.

Speaking on Radio 5 Live today, Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, said the FA should not take any further action against Carragher.

Taylor said: "He's been shown a red card and will be suspended.

"It would not be right if we start focusing on what Jamie did instead of the important issue, which is that fans are in danger of getting out of control again."

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