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Friday's Independent (UK) front page describes John Terry as 'racist'

The Chelsea captain received a four-match ban from the FA earlier today.

AFTER JOHN TERRY was today found guilty of racial abuse and handed a four-match ban, the Independent (UK) have decided to lead with what will no doubt be considered a controversial headline for Friday’s front page.

The headline in question reads ‘J.T. CAPTAIN. LEADER. LEGEND. RACIST’

Despite the FA’s decision earlier today, the issue is likely to remain an ongoing one, with representatives for Terry suggesting he is considering appealing the ban.

(Image Credit:  @suttonnick)

Read: FAI to receive $500,000 FIFA grant for Abbotstown project>

Read: Barton slams FA over Terry punishment>

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71 Comments
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    Mute Mark Sanchez
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:15 PM

    DESERVED

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    Mute The Viscount
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:21 PM

    Yep, we can all call him a racist now.
    Racist,
    Racist,
    Racist.

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    Mute Andrew P
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:37 AM

    I hear your a racist now Father.

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    Mute Hakuin Murphy
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    Sep 28th 2012, 10:53 AM

    Burn the witch!

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    Mute Richard Lennon
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:35 PM

    He is not a racist because if he was why is he friends with Ashly Cole.Just because he dont like Ferdinand dont make him a racist, I dont like Mugabe, Chris Eubanks does that make me a racist.

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    Mute The Viscount
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:41 PM

    You can not like anyone, but once you bring colour into it, that changes it. I dont like Mugabe either, but its still wrong to call him racist names.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:41 PM

    Are you serious? He was seen and convicted making racial remarks. What does he need to do for you to seem him a racist? Dare I ask?

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    Mute Mark Larson
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:11 AM

    Alan he was not convicted….he was found not guilty in Westminster Magistrates Court of a racially-aggravated public order offence with the prosecution unable to prove the words he said to Ferdinand were being used as an insult.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:18 AM

    So what is this article about? I agree he was found not guilty in court but we can all make up our own minds. The FA have found him guilty of racial abuse and that’s good enough for me.

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    Mute Mark Larson
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:28 AM

    He will appeal and will win, unless the FA can prove what he said. Something the Magistrates Court could not do.

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    Mute Derek Coughlan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:45 AM

    Sorry there Mark, the FA aren’t trying to convict him of a criminal offense and therefore don’t need to prove whether the words were used with intent to insult. He can be banned on the grounds of using racially derogatory word. Which he did.

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    Mute Mark Larson
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:55 AM

    It is a criminal offence to racially abuse someone, why do you think he was up in the Magistrates Court?

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    Mute Derek Coughlan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:02 AM

    As per my last comment Mark. He was up in court for racially abusing someone but was cleared because they couldn’t prove that he was launching a racial attack. But the FA aren’t investigating whether the words he used were criminal, they were investigating whether he used racially derogatory words. He did use racially derogatory words and therefore deserves his ban. It’s very simple really.

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    Mute damien chaney
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:32 PM

    @mark he was up in court because a member of the public made a complaint to the police which started the process

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    Mute Niall Jones
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:00 AM

    Suarez gets 8 weeks, Terry 4 weeks. Rather ironic hint of FA racism there also. A great bunch of lads.

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    Mute Alex Nesbitt
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:25 AM

    Terry made one stupid remark. Suarez kept it up for a whole argument. Not the same.

    Funny how any perceived slight is “racist” though.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:39 PM

    No consistency. Joey Barton gets a twelve game ban for a bit of handbags and his clown gets Four plus a spare change fine for him.

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    Mute Richard Lennon
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:50 PM

    Joey Barton is a convicted thug he beat a 16 year old up, Not a great example.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:11 AM

    This is irrelevant. I was comparing the two bans handed down by the FA for the respective incidents. I’m still recovering from your previous comment.

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    Mute Richard Lennon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:26 AM

    @ Alan Gilmore. Irrelevant tell that to the kid who got the beating of Barton and ended up on hospital food for a week.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:31 AM

    I doubt you managed to remain on the debating team at school for too long – they probably couldn’t handle your continual arguing about something going on outside the window.

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    Mute Richard Lennon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:37 AM

    To Alan Gilmore, when you throw mud you lose the argument so back to school for you.

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    Mute Alan Gilmore
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:46 AM

    Fair enough :)

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    Mute Smiley
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    Sep 28th 2012, 9:28 AM

    @Richard Lennon. Introducing extraneous information doesn’t help your debate. Stick to the argument/point.

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    JayK
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    Mute JayK
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:14 PM

    I think Bartons ban was too long because one time Martiin Keown pushed Van Nistelrooy after he missed a penalty.

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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:36 PM

    surely that counts as slander of some sort. He was cleared in a court of law which, correct me if I’m wrong, is a higher authority than the FA.

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    Mute The Viscount
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:38 PM

    Slander is spoken Mark, if its written its Libel.

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    Mute Cian Doherty
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:51 AM

    It’s defamation and I hope with every fibre of my being that he sues the independent to the point of closure.

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    Mute Smiley
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    Sep 28th 2012, 9:25 AM

    The standard of proof in a criminal trial is ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. That the criminal trial couldn’t prove the charge will be why he got off. Civil proof is on balance of probabilities, a lesser proof.

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    Mute peter blake
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:49 PM

    he isn’t racist. Just uneducated. I cant stand they guy, smug head on him. but he is not racist. lack of education and a thick english background. thats his problem.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:41 AM

    He may be uneducated but hes not braindead. Lack of education is no excuse for being racist just as being highly educated doesn’t mean someone is automatically not a racist.

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    Mute Barry
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    Sep 28th 2012, 8:49 AM

    Lack of eduction doesn’t mean it’s okay to be a racist, now you’re just making excuses for him

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    Mute Alan Tully
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:31 PM

    its kinda like a priest being found guilty of molestation and then being cleared by the church!

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    Mute Derek Coughlan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:52 AM

    None of the above posts are anti-English. They’re anti-John Terry. It shouldn’t come into who people support, we all saw the footage of what he said and for him and his lawyers to come up with a story that he was merely repeating what he thought Anton Ferdinand accused him of is laughable.

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    Mute John Drennan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:16 AM

    Finally!
    This is the seventh article about John Terry’s ban that I’ve read but the first where Luis Suarez’ name wasn’t mentioned before him.
    Four games for the English boy, 8 for the South American for the exact same alleged offence with the added gem that Terry’s case had video evidence, Suarez case had the word and repeatedly changed story of one man.
    Who are the racists again because to me it looks like the fa are!?

    33
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    Mute Gary McMahon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:04 AM

    He’s not a racist, he’s an idiot. There’s a difference.

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    Mute Kevin Niazi
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    Sep 28th 2012, 3:33 AM

    I always thought being racist made someone an idiot since its not based off intelligent thinking? Hm.

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    Mute Gary McMahon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:09 AM

    Correct, being a racist would make you an idiot. But my point is, he’s not racist.

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    Mute Kevin Niazi
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:57 AM

    Yes he is.

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    Mute Nun on Yokes
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    Sep 28th 2012, 5:01 AM

    That’s 4 nervous games for the rest of the lads busy on the pitch. Well, the ones that have mots at home in anyway.

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    Mute Martin Grehan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:17 AM

    Racism = 4 game ban for Terry, 8 for Suarez. Kicking Tevez in the bum = 12 game ban for Barton. Does not compute.

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    Mute Brian Mulligan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:25 AM

    Try this one Martin; Suarez was fined 40,000 STG for his racial abuse towards Evra yet Nickolas Bendtner was fined 100,000 for showing a portion of his Paddy Power jocks
    following a goal in the Euros a few
    months later! Shows where the priorities are in football!

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    Mute Mark Ryan
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:42 PM

    thanks viscount, I always get those mixed up!

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    Mute Nick Beard
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    Sep 27th 2012, 11:47 PM

    I’d be more trouble for him than it’s worth to take it to court – the paper has a fairly decent case that it’s expressing its opinion of him based on the facts of the case (he’d have to prove his actions couldn’t be interpreted as racist). Obviously, ethically, it’s an incredibly over the top and sensationalist thing to do… but is anyone really surprised that a newspaper would do it?

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    Mute Cameron Campbell
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:36 AM

    It seems the masses had & still have no issue calling Suarez racist (on TV, print and radio) for allegedly using the word negrito, based on the word of another player. Terry is caught on camera, for millions to see, calling another player a “f**king black c*nt” and people are upset by a newspaper headline calling him racist. Presumably this is because he is white English and was until recently captain of the England football team???

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    Mute Dhakina's Sword
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:50 AM

    I don’t know whether John Terry is a racist or not. I don’t know much about football either. What I do know, is that he seems to have used racist, abusive terms towards another player. The question is, does that make him a racist. Maybe, maybe not.

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    Mute Dhakina's Sword
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:13 AM

    Damn, I was halfway through that point before the machine decided to end it. To finish, just because he used seemingly racist language, does not prove that he is racist. It may prove that he is lacking education, it may prove that he is too quick to resort to racial attacks when he should know better, but it does not seem to prove that he feels superior to another race. If anything it shows his insecurity.

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    Mute Strongbow62
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    Sep 28th 2012, 8:45 AM

    He is in a position of responsibility and had the power to influence many, in this case young men. That’s why the punishment is severe. Phil Hogan should take note , institutionalised racism has to be checked otherwise it go license to the mob to act out.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Sep 28th 2012, 9:01 AM

    Given he was England captain at the time, the punishment is no where near severe enough.

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    Mute Alex Nesbitt
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:25 PM

    The FA don’t have to prove that Terry is racist, only that he referred to race in the context of an insult. See FA rule E3(2).

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    Mute Richard Lennon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:42 AM

    Most of the comments above are anti english,Is that not racism we in Ireland suffered from racism when we went abroad so we shouldnt be racist.

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    Mute Kevin Niazi
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    Sep 28th 2012, 3:32 AM

    Irish and English people are both white? How is that racist? It’s called prejudiced not racist. When someone gets mad at black person and starts using racial slurs that shows their true colors. It doesn’t matter if he has a black friend or was just “mad”. When people are mad they usually say what they really think/feel.

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    Mute Denise Friary
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    Sep 28th 2012, 5:39 AM

    Kevin, Are you sure Irish and English are both white.

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    Mute stefanovich
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:25 AM

    So racism is somehow worse the prejudice against another white person from another country because of the country they come from? Makes no sense.

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    Mute Kevin Niazi
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:59 AM

    @Denise – Is that suppose to be funny or “smart” sarcasm? @Stefan – Did I say that? It’s like saying a Nigerian is racist against a Kenyan.

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    Mute Gerard Behan ®
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:51 AM

    I dont like John Terry as much as the next guy,but just because he used the N word that dont make him a racist

    16
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    Mute Mark Larson
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:04 AM

    Found Guilty of Racial abuse by the FA, but cleared by a criminal court.

    A court of law found him not Guilty

    All the negative posts from Man U and Liverpool supporters

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    Mute Alan Murphy
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:11 AM

    The Suarez case wouldn’t even have got to the steps of the court.

    John Terry the wife cheater, marriage destroyer, addicted gambler. Role model, must be innocent

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:15 AM

    Simply due to a lower burden of proof applying in the FA situation. He was acquitted in Court because there was a sliver of doubt, despite the Magistrate saying Terrys explanation was “unlikely”.
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/sep/27/fa-john-terry-luis-suarez?CMP=twt_gu

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    Mute Conor O'Callaghan
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    Sep 28th 2012, 2:23 AM

    I’m no fan of Terry, infact, I can’t stand the guy. However, surely the independent has no right to brand him a racist based on a charge found against him by the authority of his chosen profession? Especially considering he was cleared of these charges in a court of law.

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    Mute Tommy Breen
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    Sep 28th 2012, 1:12 AM

    Gary, you literally took the words from my thumb!

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    Mute Strongbow62
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    Sep 28th 2012, 8:53 AM

    Unfortunately there are many intelligent racists. They are the ones that deliberately set out to dehumanise on the basis of ethnicity as in the Bosnian war. .. Or any war for that matter. Dehumanisation begins with jokes and racist remarks. Bernard Manning was very good at portraying the Irish as drunken and stupid at the height of IRA activity in the UK. Actually most British TV comedy was racist in the 70s.

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    Mute Ciaran McMahon
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:39 AM

    I actually hope Terry doesn’t appeal. I am sick of this saga dragging on and on and I just want it to end

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    Mute BILL RYAN
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    Sep 28th 2012, 3:46 AM

    Political correctness gone crazy far more serious issues in today’s world was involved in rugby and GAA in the eighties you wanna hear the stuff went on there !!

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    Mute jonathan kerr
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:36 AM

    he was found not guilty by the courts.. the papers shouldnt b allowed to call him a racest cos the law( not the fa) says he is cleard of that. dont worry jt, your fans are bhind u… o n by the way the fa gave him a lite ban cos he is english.. any oda nationality and he woulda been bollox…

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    Mute Dave Lawlor
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    Sep 28th 2012, 8:56 AM

    Shocking the double standards at the FA, Luis Suarez uses a term in a foreign language in an argument only heard between him and a player with a history for making stuff up (the Chelsea groundkeeper incident) and gets 8 games and publicly tarred as racist. We all know what JT said in plain English but only 4 games? The fine is irrelevant as its probably 2 weeks wages to him but the FA copped out here…..

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    Mute ciaran burke
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    Sep 28th 2012, 12:48 AM

    The F .As rules are different to the law off the land hence why he was not guilty by lack off evidence in court and was rightly found guilty by the F A. My issue is how was suraez Banned for 8 games and terry just 4 . Where the crimes just the same? Funny how the back page off the Mirror rightly branded suraez a racist yet tomorrow Terry is. “Kicked in the teeth”

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    Mute fizi_water
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    Sep 28th 2012, 7:11 AM

    I don’t like him, but can they not stop talking about him and making big issue of it? I think there is difference as well between telling something when you’re rotally mad and when you are your everyday yourself. It’s not right, but still natural that people in anger look for words that are abusive and possibly offensive and then they regret it. You would need to know him personally to really tell if man is racist or not.

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    Mute Alan Gregg
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    Sep 28th 2012, 10:46 AM

    A lot of you are missing the point here. While I have no time for racists nor like John Terry, I do believe he has been the victim of the PC Brigade who are determined to get a guilty conviction one way or another. He was found not guilty by a court of law. Like Suarez, he has been basically sent down on the flimsiest of evidence and on the word of one man. This case goes to show the lengths to which PC is prepared to go in order to satisfy its thirst for “justice” ..on its own terms. Had Ferdinand called Terry a piece of white trash or a honky, would there have been a case? Would the PC Brigade have swung into action? Would there have been the irritating media attention? I think not.

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    Mute Rommel Burke
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    Sep 28th 2012, 11:14 AM

    On the word of one man? The video evidence is there for all to see and Terry has not denied the words he used, but the context in which he used them. A context which even the Magistrate in the criminal case described as unlikely. The only thing flimsy about it is the excuse Terry came up with, which led to reasonable doubt and therefore his acquittal.

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    Mute Colm Byrne
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    Sep 28th 2012, 4:00 PM

    The FA are a joke, Suarez got 12 games with no proof and England’s John Terry gets 4 despite being clearly caught

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