FA Charges Andre Gray with misconduct

[sussex_guy2k2]

If it's a ban, it sets a dangerous precedent for me: Worried about an opposition player in an upcoming fixture? Stalk his social media feeds going back years and years until you find something he once said that was rather stupid / offensive. Bring it to light and expect the FA to issue a ban. Perfect.

I don't know about anyone else, but I was certainly a stupider, less mature person at 21, probably said lots of stupid stuff, and was more grown up by 25. The ages Gray was then and now is.

I think the fact that these have been brought to light and widely seen, drawing widespread criticism and bad publicity, showing Gray up to have been a rather unpleasant lad, is probably embarrassing and punishing enough for the bloke. No matter how good a player he becomes, no big sponsors are going to go near him. Questions will be asked should he ever get an England call up. It's probably going to stick around his career like a bad smell.

I don't think a ban is necessary or wise. Perhaps a fine and donation to LGBT support causes would be more appropriate.

It won't affect his career. If anything, it'll just make people notice him more. You only have to look at Terry, Suarez and Vardy as good examples of the so called "negative" impact of being caught.

I also think you're really missing the point and you, yourself, are suggesting a very bad precedent should be set. Ultimately, if he wasn't a footballer and yet he'd been caught tweeting those things, would it be a criminal offence? The answer, quite simply, is yes. And before you go any further and doubt me, there was an incident a couple of years back where a random man was jailed for offensively tweeting Muamba, the ex-Bolton player. This is one of many similar situations, so what you're suggesting is that he gets away with a criminal offence.

And with Grey, it wasn't just one tweet, there were a fair number of them that targetted different groups, showing just how vile he was. That its been found retrospectively and that he's apologised is irrelevant. He's basically done something illegal, so a ban from football for a little bit is the absolute bear minimum punishment he should face.

But what bugs me most about all of this, and I think this reflects poorly on me really, is that I hate his hypocrisy. He had the audacity to write those tweets at 21 and then, a couple of years later, he shows absolutely no self awareness when he tweets his own complaints about Burnley fans' racist chanting.

However, the key issue you haven't actually touched on at all. He's a person in the limelight who has been found doing something in his past that is basically illegal, and your reaction is to say, "well, he apologised, he was only 21, let's give him a fine that won't affect him". He's supposed to be a role model for people across Britain. Do you really want a scenario where we as a culture are saying it's okay to tweet that shit as long as you apologise?! Call me old fashioned, but that isn't a precedent I want set for my children.

 

[Nixonator]

I am curious as to how you're utterly certain he's a 'repugnant wanker'. Obviously his past tweeting shenanigans would suggest as such but people do change. I was a complete tool when I was twenty-one and now, ten years later, I'm something like 29% less of a tool.

I know a guy who knows a guy etc.

Even without the reference, i'm fairly certain I would still feel the same. Genuine question, not being a dick, did you read through all of the tweets?

It seemed to me a far cry from just 'bantz' you reel off when you're 18, they are all very opinionated, hateful, certifiably bigoted, homophobic and misogynistic.

I'm sure he has been rehabilitated though by coming into money. It's bollocks. You can't make chicken soup from chicken shit

 

[Fungus]

Thank goodness the Internet and Twitter / Facebook weren't invented when I was 21.

Isn't it ironic in the so-called disposable / throwaway age, that you can't get rid of your past?

 

[BBassic]

I know a guy who knows a guy etc.

Even without the reference, i'm fairly certain I would still feel the same. Genuine question, not being a dick, did you read through all of the tweets?

It seemed to me a far cry from just 'bantz' you reel off when you're 18, they are all very opinionated, hateful, certifiably bigoted, homophobic and misogynistic.

I'm sure he has been rehabilitated though by coming into money. It's bollocks. You can't make chicken soup from chicken shit

Yeah I read them and I do agree. They are vile examples of the worst of opinions, absolutely. I just prefer to think people can change. And, if they can't, then I can find peace because the FA have disciplined a homophobic tosspot.

 

[JC Footy Genius]

He should have said he had converted to Islam (bedrock of ingrained, prescribed homophobia ... ok to believe,teach,indoctrinate in 21st century Uk) at the time he made the comments.

Would have confused the FA and many of the social media lynch mob...

"He's allowed to say that right .. coz he's like .. religious and belonging to a minority group and we're not islamophobic, no , no way."

If serious about homophobia better to go after the big fish first .. obviously thick prejudiced footballers who made comments several years ago rather than the fastest growing religion in the UK which at the very least teaches homosexuality is a punishable abomination and at worse condones throwing Gays of roofs.

 

[clippedgull]

Andre Gray has further charge added to his rap sheet:

Metro

Andre Gray has had another potentially offensive tweet added to the case against him by the Football Association, which may see the Burnley striker hit with a hefty ban.
The 25-year-old was charged with misconduct on Tuesday after a number of homophobic and sexist slurs made on his Twitter account between January 9 to March 11 2012 but the FA is now taking action against Gray from a post in July 2014, according to the Guardian.
Gray was at Brentford when the tweet was posted, which began: ‘I hate lightys!’. The slang term ‘lighty’ is often used in a derogatory sense and describes a light-skinner person of mixed race.
The FA disciplinary department has included the post in the case against Gray, who has until 6pm to respond to the charge of improper conduct and the ‘aggravating factor’ that his comments refer to ‘sexual orientation and/or gender and/or colour and/or race’.
Gray, a former non-league striker, quickly deleted the tweets and sent out a statement apologising for his behaviour. He also deleted his Twitter account on Saturday.


Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2016/08/27/racis...dre-grays-fa-rap-sheet-6094521/#ixzz4Il0SYhdA