Thurs 2nd Sep 1999

Thurs 2nd Sep 1999 - Warner to face charges

Report from Evening Standard.
Millwall goalkeeper Tony Warner has beencharged with assault following crowd violence which marred his team's opening day fixture against Cardiff last month.

The former Liverpool and Celtic keeper, who moved to The Den during the summer, was arrested by South Wales police yesterday and bailed to appear before magistrates in Cardiff on 6 October.

The shock move comes nearly a month after 14 people, including an elderly woman, were hurt and six people arrested after rival fans clashed in Cardiff centre and near the Ninian Park ground.

During the match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, riot police and stewards battled with thugs who threw bottles and other missiles at players. At the time of the trouble, Warner, 26, was accused of throwing a bottle into the crowd in retaliation.

He has also been charged with public order offences. Following the match, the Football Association of Wales launched an inquiry into the violence which was reported to have been organised by rival groups of hooligans through the internet.

Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis reacted angrily to Warner's arrest accusing Cardiff police of enflaming the situation by taking inappropriate action both in the build up to the game and on the day of the match itself.

He added that he was considering banning Cardiff fans from the return Second Division fixture at The Den on 4 December.

He said: "We are outraged by this action. "Tony had to endure 90 minutes of racial abuse and was showered with cans and bottles.

"In our opinion the policing fell short of the standards which are expected."

Report from Sporting Life.
Millwall's Tony Warner must answer an assault charge after being arrested for his behaviour in his club's first match of theseason at Cardiff that was marred by crowd violence.

The former Liverpool and Celtic goalkeeper has been bailed to appear before Cardiff magistrates on October 6.

Six people were arrested and 14 - including an elderly woman - were hurt in the violence in Cardiff centre and around the Ninian Park ground last month.

Following the match, in which riot police and stewards battled with hooligans who threw bottles and other missiles at players, the Football Association of Wales launched an inquiry into the trouble.

On Thursday afternoon The Evening Standard reported that Warner, who has also been charged with public order offences, has the support of his club chairman Theo Paphitis.

Report from The Daily Mirror.
MILLWALL goalkeeper Tony Warner was charged with assault by police in South Wales yesterday.

The former Liverpool keeper allegedly threw a bottle back into the crowd during the Second Division clash at Cardiff City on the opening day of the season.

Warner, 26, has been released on police bail and will have to appear before magistrates in Cardiff on October 6. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a public order offence.

A Cardiff fan, warehouse manager Neil Gough, 30, complained to police he had suffered facial injuries after being hit by a bottle.

Millwall chairman Theo Paphitis was incensed by the decision last night and claimed police were trying to cover up their own failure to control the crowd at Ninian Park on August 7.

Warner, who was making his debut for Millwall, is alleged to have picked up the bottle and thrown it into the Cardiff fans behind his goal, injuring one in the process. Paphitis fumed: "It's an absolute farce. We are all totally gobsmacked at Millwall because we cannot believe what has happened to Tony Warner.

"The club are behind him all the way and all this smacks of a cover-up. I have written letters to the Welsh FA, the English FA, the Sports Minister and the Home Secretary about this because this cannot be allowed to continue.

"You have to ask yourself how a bottle came to be on the pitch in the first place and what the police did to control the Cardiff City fans.

"During that game Tony Warner was subjected to racial abuse and was pelted with coins and bottles.

"Standards have been set about the level of policing you expect to see at a football match in this country and on the day in question I believe the policing fell below that standard.

"It's a disgrace that he is the one who has been charged with an offence.

"I cannot believe this is going to lead to a court case and if it does we will press for the case to be moved from Wales to a neutral venue."

Police refused to respond to the Millwall chief's accusations.