[Dancingwilldoit]

Just as if we haven't been through enough, one of our players was allegedly involved in a fight with an Oldham player after the game. Sounds bad as their player will miss 4 games. God knows who it was but it sounds like he kept the winning streak going.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Rumor rumor rumour even.

Turns out that our player who can't be named ( was on the bench and Dev wasn't to impressed with his signing) and Hope played together at Carlisle. I read today that Hope was having an affair with someone close to our player. Looks like it nothing to do with the game and if it's true we are blameless.

[SaltergateBorn]

I`ve no idea whether that is or isn`t true, but it would make some sort of sense. I really can`t recall a single malicious foul or any flashpoint in the game that would be the cause of anything like this. I`m not sure whether that would get us off the hook completely - we could still be charged with failing to control our player(s), I reckon - but if it`s personal and non-football related it should certainly lessen the impact on us as a club.

[Devongone]

"Hope" it turns out to be a car park scrap in which Hallam Hope was the heavy loser. Though it could hardly happen to a more deserving bloke, it shouldn't ever happen at all, especially at a point when you are being paid to represent a club!

I'm guessing the FA will come down heavy. I am guessing the past-it offender will be suspended sine die, and the FA will fine the club heavily for not keeping control of its player/s.

I have some experience of sine die suspensions. I was secretary of a club playing at Staveley MW's ground prior to it being upgraded. Spectator areas were just roped off from the pitch itself. Anyway we were winning. Diego de Girolamo's dad Cosimo was our player/manager, but was in Leicester Gaol on the day itself, counting the bricks in his cell. One of the Staveley spectators, aged about 60, persistently was having a go at our full back and winding him up. He'd picked the wrong man, because he was a good full back and completely off his head. So when he'd taken too much he jumped over the ropes and slapped and punched the man to the ground. I had to write and ask the FA to immediately cancel his registration with us, write to our opposition apologising, attend a hearing at which the player failed to appear where he was summarily suspended from football sine die (forever), write to the player passing on details of this decision, which he delivered by hand through my door with scrawled on it "NOT KNOWN AT THIS ADDRESS!"

Some time later he trumped this behaviour when arrested in the town centre. Back at the police station he slapped the desk sergeant full force across the face and shoved a bag of ageing chips into the sergeant's face before he had time to recover. Apparently when up before the beak he wasn't short of bruises himself.

What is wrong with people? We need to distance ourselves as far as possible from this player and sack him on the spot. Helping the police with their enquiries is just so many weasel words. We need to protect ourselves. I'm sure the club unofficially knows what happened, so we should act.

The player himself should publicly apologise, admit all, announce his immediate retirement and seek help in writing a full account to send to the FA.

[Dancingwilldoit]

Gets even more interesting. Another rumor is it was not our sub but one of our defenders. There was a bit of needle during the game and after the whistle.
It seems Hope didn't report it and it was Sunday afternoon before the story came out.
Maybe "I'll see you in the car park" was a bit premature as I understand he won't see a lot due to a broken eye socket.
Cooks fitness program comes up trumps again.

[Devongone]

Oh dear! That's worse! At least losing Jones wasn't a problem. If it was one of our defenders then it is obvious who, and he is/was one of our best players.

The club must KNOW who it was, because the players clearly know. Keeping quiet simply won't hack it. Waiting for the police, or Hallam Hope not to press charges (which is more than likely, unless he can sue our man), is no good. We have to act responsibly and that is going to involve sacking the player and reporting the facts in full to the FA.

Long-term consequence, another promotion thrown away.

[SaltergateBorn]

Here we go again; lack of information leads to rumours by the sackload swirling around. By the time it`s all over, probably every member of the squad will have been under suspicion at some point. Having said that, if it was `one of our full-backs` I`m pretty sure I know who my money would be going on down at the local Ladroke`s. It`s also very difficult for the club whilst there`s a police investigation going on; they have to be very careful what they say.

I thought it was interesting when I read the initial police statement to the effect that it was reported to them at 1:30 on Sunday afternoon. Why did it take so long if it happened straight after the match? It`s an old saying that there are two sides to every story and I wonder whether the fact that Hallam Hope himself was apparently in no rush to report it suggests there is more here than meets the eye (sorry about that) and there might be another side to this one. Is somebody at Oldham trying to stir the pot? All conjecture, of course. At the end of the day, breaking somebody`s eye-socket constitutes ABH at best – GBH at worst.

Like you, Dev, I fail completely to understand what goes on in some people`s minds. We all get angry at times – I certainly do as much as anybody, and reckon that I can stand my ground against most verbally – but I hold to the view that legging it is usually the better part of valour if things get out of hand. I`m only 5`7” and don`t have a dog; only two cats, and unless the opposition is small and furry, they`d be as much use as a pair of chocolate teapots.

We`ll all just have to wait and see, although the team selection on Saturday might give one or two clues. (Any chance we can get George Carline back from Bracknell?)

[Dancingwilldoit]

Not a full back. Central defender who we will miss

[Devongone]

We do at least have other central defenders and both Horton and King can play there at a push with Sheckleford at full back.

Why would one of our players react in that way? He can't have been drunk. I can't imagine Hallam Hope approached him in a lewd gay manner. So those defences are out.

Why would Hope delay in having the matter reported? If he didn't want it reporting, why not? We know he was certainly the loser. He ended up in hospital. But being the loser doesn't actually mean you were attacked does it? But if he started something against one of our central defenders, how could he have expected it to end? He might have come out on top against Salts and his two moggies, but not against any of our centre backs by the look of them. And if our bloke started it just how little oil does he have in his lamp - oh right I'll risk my whole career in a car park in Oldham ........ When you think about it do we even really know when it happened, or where? Did anyone see Hallam Hope after that time? Was he injured then, or is this a story he made up to cover an incident on Saturday night which would get him the sack from Oldham? We actually don't KNOW anything much. Isn't there CCTV in Oldham's car park? If there is, case closed. Even the police should be able to detect that one.

[Dancingwilldoit]

The car park is covered by cctv which means the police won't want to know. Too many man hours to review that kind of thing.
Could be a colour issue (might not be just black and white) we probably will never find out but the delay in reporting it is very strange to say the least.