Boozy Everton FC Yob Guilty Of Racially Abusing CPFC Star Andros Townsend

Abuse: Darran Chadwick

An Everton FC fan, who shouted: “You black c***,” at Crystal Palace’s Andros Townsend as the winger was taking a corner, was banned from football for three years yesterday.

Lidl store manger Darran Chadwick, 39, rushed to the pitch side during the Premier League season opener and was heard by a steward hurling the vile abuse.

The dad-of-one, of Wallace Avenue, Knowsley, Liverpool was convicted of racially aggravated harassment at the Selhurst Park fixture, which ended 0-0 on August 10, last year.

Former Everton FC steward Chadwick, who had three ciders before the kick-off, claimed he merely shouted at the player: “You diving c***.”

He was fined £1,050, with £625 costs and ordered to pay a £105 victim surcharge and made subject to the football banning order, which prohibits him watching any designated match.

Steward Bruce Moy told Croydon Magistrates Court: “I did notice the gentleman two or three rows back and he stepped down towards the pitch and started shouting.

“I heard him shouting: ‘You black c***,’ at the point Andros Townsend, a black player, was getting ready to take a corner for Crystal Palace.

“In football there is a very high concern about racial abuse and the control room was informed and the man was identified. his manner was very much chest out, throwing his voice.

Andros Townsend

“Racial abuse is unacceptable.”

It is not known if the player, whose father Troy Townsend is the Head of Development of football’s ‘Kick it Out’ anti-racism campaign, even heard the abuse.

Chadwick was escorted from the ground and handed over to police and one officer noted he was visibly emotional with tears in his eyes.

He spent nine hours in a police cell and was released in the early hours of the following morning after he was questioned at midnight and told officers: “I know it isn’t nice, but sometimes you get lost in the tribalism of football.”

Chadwick told the court: “He went down relatively easily and I said: ‘You diving c***,’ and in retrospect it was not a nice word.

“It happened in front of us and we were agitated because we didn’t think it was a foul. I became emotional because it is a lot to be accused of racism, it sticks with you for the rest of your life.”

Regarding the steward’s evidence Chadwick added: “I don’t know why he thinks he heard those words, they weren’t said. He believes he did, but I didn’t say those words.

“If I am convicted today I will lose my job. I’ll never get a job again with racism on my criminal record.”

Prosecutor Nwanneka Ike said: “The defendant’s actions could be classified as a hate crime and demonstrating hostility based on a players’ race.

“Prior to using the words he was loud and rowdy and by his own admissions to the police stated he was targeting the footballer to: ‘put him off,’ those were his words.”

A visibly disappointed Chadwick shook his head when convicted and his lawyer Tim Spooner fought the CPS application for the banning order.

“This is not a football hooligan and there have been no incidents of violence,” said the lawyer. “This is someone who has attended football for many years without incident.

“He is a genuine football fan who also attends non-league and women’s football. This was very much a one-off incident and it is not necessary to impose such stringent order.”

The magistrates rejected a CPS application to award costs to both Townsend and the steward, reminding Chadwick he cannot be within one mile of a football stadium on matchdays four hours before and after kick-off.