Player banned after anti-disability incident at West Auckland game

The Northern Echo reported in March that one-legged Thomas O’Connor was watching West Auckland Town’s reserve team home game against Deerness Valley FC on February 3 when a visiting player shouted these horrific comments at him.

Thomas, who regularly attends West Auckland games, was sitting in his wheelchair behind the goal and watched the incident as it occurred.

The 61-year-old claimed that the game became heated and he shouted onto the pitch: “Don’t talk to the referee like that!” when the player “lost his temper”.

Thomas O’Connor at the Darlington Road site in West Auckland. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

He claimed the Deerness player booed him: “Shut up, you fat bastard. At least I’ve got two legs!”

When Thomas tried to report the incident to the club secretary, the player shouted: “Fuck off or I’ll turn off your wheelchair.”

As the Echo has learned, the allegations against the player were proven after the FA began an investigation. The player was banned for nine matches and must complete online anti-discrimination training before returning to the field.

A West Auckland FC spokesman said: “It was very important to get the message out that this behaviour will not be tolerated. The player has been suspended for an extended period of time and will have to complete an online course.”

“I am glad that this is not accepted by the FA. They will take cases like this seriously and will not tolerate anything like this on any football pitch.

(Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“We have joined the ‘Kick it out’ campaign and are proud of it. We want to be a place where everyone feels welcome and when the allegations were made, we would never have swept the matter under the carpet.”

Thomas, from West Auckland, said he was happy with the outcome but the incident had left him unsure about returning to the stands.

He said: “I was angry, really angry, when it happened. I always thought people were looking down on me, but I’ve never felt like that before.”

“I’m happy with the result – he’s been suspended for nine games and can’t play again until he completes this online course. The suspension didn’t bother me that much, it’s about him having to complete awareness training.

Darlington Road Stadium, where West Auckland Town FC plays its home games. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I haven’t decided yet whether I will renew my season ticket or not. I don’t really want to stop going to the stadium because that’s the only thing I enjoy, but that’s the only thing that makes me doubt.

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“I’ve been going there for five or six years and nothing like this has ever happened to me. I’ve been in a wheelchair for eight years – it’s taken a lot of effort for me to even go out again.

“I’m a huge Sunderland fan but the only reason I don’t go any more is the crowds – everything is above me. I used to be 6ft tall but now I’m closer to the ground and I worry about the crowds.”

The English Football Association (FA) stated that it would work to banish discrimination from football.