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Wed 2nd Aug 2000 - Dai Thomas in fresh "hooligan" claim |
| August Headlines |
Report courtesy of BBC Online Now Cardiff City football club have launched an immediate inquiry after new video footage revealed Dai Thomas in the midst of a violent mob of English hooligans. Officials at Ninian Park have so far supported Thomas and his denials that he is a football hooligan. Now the club says they are reconsidering their position in light of the new evidence The striker refused to comment but has previously maintained he merely got caught up in the crowd, and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The former Swansea and Watford player went to the European championships allegedly as a supporter. But footage shows Thomas doing far more than more ordinary fans in Brussels. He can be seen at the back of a group as thugs attack a young north African man in the street. He is then seen taking a much more central role as hooligans taunt Belgian police. In a later stand-off the Caerphilly-born Cardiff player also encouraged a chorus of "England, England". Cardiff City chairman Steve Borley said: "It is a serious matter. "But we can only act on information we've got. South Wales Police hasn't provided us with that information." And when asked, Mr Borley said Thomas was denying any involvement with any trouble. But the evidence appears overwhelming. At one stage, Thomas can be seen trying to remove a metal barrier. It was this, and three hours into the troubles, that police finally lost patience. They pursued the so-called fans to the now notorious Le Fiacre bar. Thomas can be seen emerging from the building removing his shirt and was among dozens of men arrested. He was later sent home. "The man I've seen on the film was definitely arrested," said Brussels Police spokesman Christian De Coninck. "And all those people arrested that evening were brought to a regional detention centre from where they were deported to the UK." Report from Sporting Life. A BBC Panorama programme in June had shown Cardiff City striker Dai Thomas alongside football hooligans who were causing trouble in Brussels before the tournament's England v Germany game. On Wednesday night a BBC spokeswoman confirmed the Panorama programme had received further footage from European media company RDL and said it was ``confident'' it showed Thomas ``stepping out of a police van with handcuffs.'' More than 800 English fans were deported after running battles with police and rival mobs in the centre of the Belgian capital. At the time the 24-year-old denied being arrested and said he had innocently got caught up in the trouble. Thomas, from Caerphilly, south Wales, who joined Cardiff for £50,000 from Watford, reiterated his innocence on Wednesday night. He said in a statement: ``I was caught up in a mass sweep by Belgian police and I did not believe that I was arrested at any time. ``I can confirm that I was not deported from Belgium but in fact made my own way home. ``I have always been concerned to protect the good name of the club (Cardiff City) and as I have said before, I will continue to co-operate fully with any further investigation which may be launched by my club.'' It is understood Cardiff City has launched an investigation into the allegations but no-one from the club was available for comment on Wednesday night. Report from TotalWales. Former Wales Under-21 international Thomas was suspended by the club after the original Panorama programme in June. Thomas denied any wrong-doing and returned to training in mid-July. But City chairman Steve Borley, having seen the new footage, said last night, “Clearly, this is new evidence and we will be having a new inquiry.” |
Copyright Michael Morris 2000.
