BAGGIES FANS CRY FOUL OVER KEEPER BAN

27-01-2007

West Bromwich Albion fans have responded with a mixture ofshockand angerat the club's decision to suspend goalkeeper Russell Hoult ahead of Sunday's Black Country FA Cup derby against Wolves. The Baggies acted after footage of the player havinga threesome was featured in The Sun.

Albion season ticket holder Andy Collins was disgusted at the ban, saying: “Live and let live”. Another Baggies follower, The Stirrer's resident psychologist Dr Mike Drayton, was equally shocked, commenting, “He's done nothing illegal.”

Brummie Road regular Manish Patel, couldn't understand why Hoult was being disciplined for an act “between consenting adults in their own home.”

So why has the keeper been banished to the stands, thus handicapping his club for a vital fixture? The club's official line is simply that he is being suspended pending “further inquiries” - a statement that conjures up unfortunate images of chairman Jeremy Peace going around to Hoult's house and sniffing his sheets.

Now Hoult is no angel; there have been revelations about his private life before in the tabloids.

But as our random group of Baggies fans recognise, he hasn't broken any law or forced anyone to do anything against their wishes. (Quite the opposite if the Sun's evidence is to be believed see www.thesun.co.uk )

The irony is that as recently as 2004, West Brom were quite happy to field striker Lee Hughes after he had been accused of causing death by dangerous driving (an offence for which he is now serving time) on the basis of “innocent until proven guilty”; yet Hoult's livelihood is put in jeopardy for enjoying consensual sex.

Rather than banning Hoult, I've got a better idea for the Baggies. Why not help their employee take an action against The Sun under the Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice.

Article 3 clearly states that: “Everyone is entitled to privacy in his or her private life.” This has clearly been breachedwithout any seriouspublic interest defence that can justify it.

The truth is that Rupert Murdoch's tabloid tyranny needs to be challenged, not meekly accepted.

Yesterday's court verdict which saw the editor of The Sun's sister paper the News Of The World jailed for four months for snooping on royal conversations (followed by the resignation of his editor) should only be the start.

But instead of standing up to these paper tigers, Albion have caved in, giving further encouragement to those journalists who would persecute and harass law abiding citizens simply because they happen to play an high profile sport.

Now wonder so many Albion fans believe their club has scored an own goal before a ball has even been kicked at Molineux.

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