babyduck85
25 Oct 2004, 04:12 AM
This is from the telegraph. i'm worried about fines..
Ferguson hit by soup as feelings come to the boil
Sir Alex Ferguson was involved in an incredible post-match fracas with Arsenal players in the Old Trafford tunnel last night in which the Manchester United manager had tomato soup thrown over him by an opposition player.
The incident, which took place in a corridor just off the main tunnel, comes little more than a year after the infamous 'Battle of Old Trafford' in which Ruud van Nistelrooy was attacked. This latest incident will send relations between the two clubs to a new low.
Witnesses at the scene said that the row between Ferguson and Arsenal players became so crowded and chaotic that it was impossible to tell which player threw the soup at the 62-year-old.
Early reports suggested that the culprit was Jens Lehmann but The Daily Telegraph have been told that Arsenal's German goalkeeper was only responsible for squirting water out of a drinking bottle at Ferguson.
The damage done to Ferguson's official club shirt, tie and blazer was so bad that the Scot had to go back into the United dressing rooms and get changed before he did his live interview on Sky television. He appeared more than 20 minutes after the end of the game and did the interview wearing a United tracksuit.
A witness in the tunnel told The Daily Telegraph: "The Arsenal players were enraged by what had happened on the pitch and after an exchange suddenly a cup of soup went flying in Ferguson's direction. There was so much pushing and shouting that you just couldn't tell who had thrown it at him."
The Arsenal players were finally bundled into their dressing room by coaching staff and told to change as quickly as possible to get them out of Old Trafford and avoid another flashpoint. Witnesses said that United officials with access to the second tunnel area were shocked at the way in which their manager was treated.
It now appears likely that Arsenal players could face disciplinary charges for the incident though much will depend on what referee Mike Riley includes in his official match report. It was not clear whether the match official was present at the time.
Ferguson, who has not attended post-match press conferences with newspapers for almost three years, looked calm and composed in his interview with Sky television though he was not asked about the tunnel incident. Wenger, who did come to the press room after the game, denied that any incident had taken place.
Six Arsenal players were charged after the match last September although only four received bans while the club were given a £175,000 fine.
An official spokesman for United last night refused to comment on what had taken place after the match.
Ferguson hit by soup as feelings come to the boil
Sir Alex Ferguson was involved in an incredible post-match fracas with Arsenal players in the Old Trafford tunnel last night in which the Manchester United manager had tomato soup thrown over him by an opposition player.
The incident, which took place in a corridor just off the main tunnel, comes little more than a year after the infamous 'Battle of Old Trafford' in which Ruud van Nistelrooy was attacked. This latest incident will send relations between the two clubs to a new low.
Witnesses at the scene said that the row between Ferguson and Arsenal players became so crowded and chaotic that it was impossible to tell which player threw the soup at the 62-year-old.
Early reports suggested that the culprit was Jens Lehmann but The Daily Telegraph have been told that Arsenal's German goalkeeper was only responsible for squirting water out of a drinking bottle at Ferguson.
The damage done to Ferguson's official club shirt, tie and blazer was so bad that the Scot had to go back into the United dressing rooms and get changed before he did his live interview on Sky television. He appeared more than 20 minutes after the end of the game and did the interview wearing a United tracksuit.
A witness in the tunnel told The Daily Telegraph: "The Arsenal players were enraged by what had happened on the pitch and after an exchange suddenly a cup of soup went flying in Ferguson's direction. There was so much pushing and shouting that you just couldn't tell who had thrown it at him."
The Arsenal players were finally bundled into their dressing room by coaching staff and told to change as quickly as possible to get them out of Old Trafford and avoid another flashpoint. Witnesses said that United officials with access to the second tunnel area were shocked at the way in which their manager was treated.
It now appears likely that Arsenal players could face disciplinary charges for the incident though much will depend on what referee Mike Riley includes in his official match report. It was not clear whether the match official was present at the time.
Ferguson, who has not attended post-match press conferences with newspapers for almost three years, looked calm and composed in his interview with Sky television though he was not asked about the tunnel incident. Wenger, who did come to the press room after the game, denied that any incident had taken place.
Six Arsenal players were charged after the match last September although only four received bans while the club were given a £175,000 fine.
An official spokesman for United last night refused to comment on what had taken place after the match.