March 30 – Spitting Image | On This Football Day

March 30 – Spitting Image

IF we tell you Eric Cantona was hauled before an FA disciplinary panel on this day to explain himself you will probably jump to the conclusion that the words ‘kung-fu’ and ‘kick’ are marching inevitably towards this blog. But you’d be wrong. Today were are looking at a one of the Frenchman’s less civilised transgressions. Less civilised than launching a flying two-footed attack at a fan in the crowd at Selhurst Park? Yes. Today folks we’re talking about spitting.

Why footballers feel the need to do it we will never know, but today in 1993 Cantona was fined £1,000 by the FA for spitting at a Leeds fan on his first visit back to Elland Road after signing for Manchester United.

After Cesc Fabregas was accused of spitting at the Hull assistant manager Brian Horton earlier this month, it seems that nothing changes in football. We thought we’d take the opportunity to have a look at some of the most famous times footballers have chosen to say it with phlegm.

Where could we start other than with El Hadji Diouf. The man is a serial offender and has spat on opposition players and fans that many times you could fill an entire swimming pool with his spittle. The first time his gobby ways came the fore in Britain was when he was fined £5,000 by the Glasgow Sheriff Court for spitting at Celtic fans during a 2003 UEFA Cup quarter-final tie when playing for Liverpool. Two years later he proved he really hadn’t learned his lesson when Bolton fined him two weeks’ wages after he spat at Portsmouth’s Arjan de Zeeuw during a Premier League match. Charming.

Even that icon of Italian cool Francesco Totti has got in on the action. In Euro 2004 during a group stage match with Denmark Totti spat in the face of opposition midfielder Christian Poulsen. Although the referee failed to act at the time, a subsequent complaint by the Danish FA resulted in UEFA coming down hard on Totti, with a charge of gross unsporting misconduct and a three-game ban his punishment. Without him Italy crashed out after the group stage.

Patrick Viera is next up in the hit parade after he spat at Neil Ruddock during a Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham in 1999. A trademark overly-tough tackle had got Viera red-carded and a bit of a dust-up ensued between the opposing players, with Razor and Viera at the centre of it. As Gilles Grimandi tried to pull his team-mate away Vieira spat in the direction of the goading Ruddock. The FA didn’t think this kind of playground justice was on and hit Vieira with a two-match ban for his sending-off and a further four-match suspension for spitting. Spit in haste, repent at leisure Patrick.

But we have saved the best til last. The most famous spitting incident ever to take place on a football field and one that would no doubt be dubbed ‘Spitgate’ by the media if it happened today. We are of course referring to the 1990 World Cup second-round match between Holland and Germany. Dutch midfielder Frank Rijkaard clattered into German striker Rudi Voller, who simply walked away, but Rijkaard wasn’t finished and jogged up behind him and spat in Voller’s perm. Just minutes later the pair were sent off for another clash and Rijkaard decided the best thing to do was to spit at Voller again.

Years later Rijkaard admitted it may not have been the most grown-up thing to do. “That day I was wrong. There was no insult. I always had much respect for Rudi Voller. But I went berserk when I saw that red card. I talked to him after the match and I apologized. I’m very happy that he accepted. I have no bad feeling about him now. We even posed for a very funny advert together, years after.” Ah funny adverts, they’re a bit like rehad for failed/disgraced sports stars really aren’t they? Remember the Pizza Hut effort starring Gareth Southgate after Euro 96?

There are plenty more examples of spit-based antics but quite honestly that’s about enough of this disgusting strand of footballing sub-culture so we’ll leave it there. Check out Frank Rijkaard below and click here to see which manager was returning to his spiritual home on this day in 2001.