Newport v Walsall Cup tie halted over alleged homophobic chants
Play stopped for five minutes in the second half of Newport County's FA Cup first-round tie against Walsall at Rodney Parade on Saturday, after referee Robert Massey-Ellis halted the match over alleged homophobic chants from the crowd.
The FA Cup is a knockout competition, so one defeat ends a club's run. First-round ties are often the first big occasion for smaller clubs, and this one was played in front of the home supporters at Rodney Parade.
According to BBC Sport, Massey-Ellis spoke to the managers and captains of both sides when he stopped play. He also appeared to gesture towards the home crowd near the dugouts, the benches where the teams sit during a match.
Newport manager Hayden Mullins said he did not hear any discriminatory language during the game. He said alleged homophobic behaviour in the crowd was "not on" and that the club does not condone it. Mullins said the chants were reported to stewards, and then to the linesman or fourth official. The linesman is the assistant referee who runs the touchline, and the fourth official helps manage the game from the sidelines.
Homophobic and discriminatory chants break Football Association rules, and the FA is the governing body for the sport in England. Yahoo Sport reports that such chants are also classed as a hate crime. Newport County could still face an FA charge, which is a formal disciplinary case brought by the governing body. The Football Association and South Wales Police could also be asked to investigate what was said at Rodney Parade.
Anyone who has sat in a crowd knows how quickly a mood can change. A stoppage like this gives everyone present time to think about what they heard, and it puts the football to one side. The next steps will depend on any reports, charges or investigations that follow.
