The FA Cup is the world's oldest and greatest domestic tournament, with a massive 687 teams at the start of the tournament.
Yesterday a player for non-league side Barrow AFC was jailed for breaking a Bristol Rovers player's jaw in an FA Cup, First Round game.
The Times
January 12, 2007
Bristol Rovers player Sean Rigg lies on the ground after Barrow AFC's James Cotterill broke his jaw in an FA Cup, 1st Round game. (BBC)
Player jailed for breaking rival's jaw in FA Cup game
Michael Horsnell
A footballer was jailed for four months yesterday for shattering a rival player’s jaw during an FA Cup match.
James Cotterill, 24, a Barrow AFC defender, pleaded guilty to punching Sean Rigg, a Bristol Rovers forward, causing him grievous bodily harm during a first-round match last November.
Cotterill fractured Rigg’s jaw in two places with a left hook.
The jaw will have to be held together with metal plates for the rest of Mr Rigg’s life.
Cotterill is only the second footballer in living memory to be jailed for an assault on another player during a match. Duncan Ferguson, the former Scottish international and Glasgow Rangers forward, was sent to prison for three months in 1995 for head-butting John McStay, who was playing for Raith Rovers.
Television cameras captured the off-the-ball assault by Cotterill, which was shown that evening to millions of viewers on the BBC One Match of the Day programme.
Passing sentence at Preston Crown Court, Judge Robert Brown said: “The courts have for a long time now made it absolutely clear that this sort of violence on the field of play cannot, and will not, be tolerated.
“And for this kind of off- the-ball incident a custodial sentence is inevitable.”
The judge said that he took into account Cotterill’s decision to plead guilty at the first opportunity, the contrition he had expressed for the assault, and his previous good record on the pitch.
Cotterill showed little emotion as he was sentenced, but relatives in the public gallery burst into tears.
The court was told that Cotterill, who lives in Barnsley and is married with a child, was deeply remorseful for his actions.
Peter Kennedy, in mitigation, said: “He is thoroughly ashamed for his family, former club and his profession.”
Mr Rigg, who was 18 at the time of the incident, had to drink through a straw and eat with a teaspoon after the blow.
Cotterill resigned from Barrow AFC shortly after the assault and wrote to Mr Rigg and Bristol Rovers apologising for his behaviour.
The off-the-ball assault was not seen by the referee or any other players. Cotterill hit Mr Rigg from behind, so the Bristol Rovers player had no idea of what was about to happen to him.
Mr Rigg has now fully recovered from his injuries and is back playing for Bristol Rovers’ first team, the court was told.
Cotterill, who has been working as an apprentice table joiner while he sees out his suspension from football until March 1, was ordered to pay £270 costs. Judge Brown was told that Cotterill would lose his job if he were jailed for more than 20 working days.
The Football Association said that it did not wish to comment on Cotterill’s sentence.
Violent play
In the 1982 World Cup the West Germany goalkeeper Harold Schumacher hit and knocked out the French player Patrick Battison. Amazingly, the referee awarded the GERMANS a goal kick
In October 2002 Manchester United's Roy Keane got a £150,000 fine and a five-match ban after he admitted that he had deliberately injured Alf Inge Haaland during a derby match against Manchester City in April 2001
timesonline.co.uk
Yesterday a player for non-league side Barrow AFC was jailed for breaking a Bristol Rovers player's jaw in an FA Cup, First Round game.
The Times
January 12, 2007
Bristol Rovers player Sean Rigg lies on the ground after Barrow AFC's James Cotterill broke his jaw in an FA Cup, 1st Round game. (BBC)
Player jailed for breaking rival's jaw in FA Cup game
Michael Horsnell
A footballer was jailed for four months yesterday for shattering a rival player’s jaw during an FA Cup match.
James Cotterill, 24, a Barrow AFC defender, pleaded guilty to punching Sean Rigg, a Bristol Rovers forward, causing him grievous bodily harm during a first-round match last November.
Cotterill fractured Rigg’s jaw in two places with a left hook.
The jaw will have to be held together with metal plates for the rest of Mr Rigg’s life.
Cotterill is only the second footballer in living memory to be jailed for an assault on another player during a match. Duncan Ferguson, the former Scottish international and Glasgow Rangers forward, was sent to prison for three months in 1995 for head-butting John McStay, who was playing for Raith Rovers.
Television cameras captured the off-the-ball assault by Cotterill, which was shown that evening to millions of viewers on the BBC One Match of the Day programme.
Passing sentence at Preston Crown Court, Judge Robert Brown said: “The courts have for a long time now made it absolutely clear that this sort of violence on the field of play cannot, and will not, be tolerated.
“And for this kind of off- the-ball incident a custodial sentence is inevitable.”
The judge said that he took into account Cotterill’s decision to plead guilty at the first opportunity, the contrition he had expressed for the assault, and his previous good record on the pitch.
Cotterill showed little emotion as he was sentenced, but relatives in the public gallery burst into tears.
The court was told that Cotterill, who lives in Barnsley and is married with a child, was deeply remorseful for his actions.
Peter Kennedy, in mitigation, said: “He is thoroughly ashamed for his family, former club and his profession.”
Mr Rigg, who was 18 at the time of the incident, had to drink through a straw and eat with a teaspoon after the blow.
Cotterill resigned from Barrow AFC shortly after the assault and wrote to Mr Rigg and Bristol Rovers apologising for his behaviour.
The off-the-ball assault was not seen by the referee or any other players. Cotterill hit Mr Rigg from behind, so the Bristol Rovers player had no idea of what was about to happen to him.
Mr Rigg has now fully recovered from his injuries and is back playing for Bristol Rovers’ first team, the court was told.
Cotterill, who has been working as an apprentice table joiner while he sees out his suspension from football until March 1, was ordered to pay £270 costs. Judge Brown was told that Cotterill would lose his job if he were jailed for more than 20 working days.
The Football Association said that it did not wish to comment on Cotterill’s sentence.
Violent play
In the 1982 World Cup the West Germany goalkeeper Harold Schumacher hit and knocked out the French player Patrick Battison. Amazingly, the referee awarded the GERMANS a goal kick
In October 2002 Manchester United's Roy Keane got a £150,000 fine and a five-match ban after he admitted that he had deliberately injured Alf Inge Haaland during a derby match against Manchester City in April 2001
timesonline.co.uk
