Boys' football team manager beaten up on pitch (From Watford Observer)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting WO to 80360, or email us
Incident happened during Evergreen FC Reserves match
5:20pm Thursday 20th September 2012 in News
By Ben Endley, Senior reporter
AN enraged father allegedly head-butted the manager of his son’s football team and beat him with the corner flag after learning his son had been dropped from the team.
The incident happened during a match involving Evergreen FC Reserves at their South Way home on Saturday afternoon (September 15).
It is understood to have begun just before 4pm after the disappointed lad telephoned his father to say he had not been selected for the reserves.
The offender, a 40-year-old man from Abbots Langley, reportedly confronted reserve team manager Dean Kingshott before allegedly head-butting him.
As Mr Kingshott was left reeling, it is reported the offender seized a corner flag and began to hit Mr Kingshott on the back.
As the brawl spread on to the pitch, players and supporters rushed to intervene but not before the victim was left with a bruised and swollen face.
The father then left the scene before police arrived but officers caught up with him on Tuesday (September 18) and arrested him. He was given a police caution for assault and causing actual bodily harm.
Paul Dunham, treasurer at Evergreen FC, said the club was investigating the incident internally and the matter has also been referred to the Hertfordshire Football Association.
He said: "It is extremely disappointing that somebody essentially not involved with the club has done this.
"We have a disciplinary committee and we need to find out both sides of what went on before taking action."
Comments(25)
The Rover
says...
6:46pm Thu 20 Sep 12
Whoever you are, you are an embarrasment to your son.
E.Coli
says...
6:50pm Thu 20 Sep 12
DuffmanWFC
says...
7:18pm Thu 20 Sep 12
jasonwatford
says...
8:36pm Thu 20 Sep 12
stewbyhorn
says...
9:13pm Thu 20 Sep 12
pepsiman
says...
10:07pm Thu 20 Sep 12
Hornets number 12 fan
says...
11:04pm Thu 20 Sep 12
LSC
says...
12:29am Fri 21 Sep 12
He didn't drop a fag butt so he can't simply clog up the courts with a fine.
So I suppose headbutting then beating another person with a weapon for a very trivial reason counts as simply 'A bit naughty'.
Or in other words, Watford on a Saturday night when the clubs shut.
Reg Edit
says...
7:20am Fri 21 Sep 12
The son did not do any of the beating and therefore is, from the information available, completely innocent. The son should not be banned from anything or punished, although he will probably have to move club.
No, the father did the deed and so it is he who should be the focus of your attention and take all the punishment.
There must be more to this story though, people don't just beat up the coach because their son got left out.
Some coaches are right so-and-so's, and some dads are a bit passionate. What's the real story here, I wonder?
Still, if you beat someone up you have to take the punishment.
watfordbird
says...
8:36am Fri 21 Sep 12
stewboy
says...
8:37am Fri 21 Sep 12
How are local football team managers suppose to pick a team based entirely on footballing rasons with the fear they may get attacked for dropping certain players.
He should be banned from all local pitches and grounds for 10years.
Make an example of him, thats the only way others will be deterred from this behaviour.
Norman Hod
says...
9:20am Fri 21 Sep 12
jasonwatford
says...
9:47am Fri 21 Sep 12
Reg Edit
says...
10:04am Fri 21 Sep 12
The boy is innocent, and you don't punish innocent people.
Ron2702
says...
10:16am Fri 21 Sep 12
crazyfrog
says...
10:50am Fri 21 Sep 12
joke
Honest Rog
says...
12:44pm Fri 21 Sep 12
garston tony
says...
12:52pm Fri 21 Sep 12
I hope too his son is ashamed and understands this is not acceptable behaviour but there is nothing to suggest that he had anything to do with his useless fathers actions. Unless he wound him up with what he told him, but even then there is no excuse for behaving that way.
As Ron2702 said its difficult enough to find good people to help out at clubs like this and incidents when staff, refs etc get verbal or physical abuse don’t help matters.
I'd be interested to hear from the police why only a caution was given. If this had been an attack in the high street and not over football would they have done the same thing? If I'm heaven forbid ever attacked I'd want the culprit prosecuted, not let off with a slap on the wrist!
thomas.howard
says...
1:30pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Nascot
says...
1:32pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Reg Edit wrote:The story I fear Reg is the multi million £ prima donnas that footballers are today and the antics they get up to, both on and off the pitch. Unfortunately they are looked up as heros and role models and it is being reflected down at grass roots level
There's a lot of vitriol against the son here. The son did not do any of the beating and therefore is, from the information available, completely innocent. The son should not be banned from anything or punished, although he will probably have to move club. No, the father did the deed and so it is he who should be the focus of your attention and take all the punishment. There must be more to this story though, people don't just beat up the coach because their son got left out. Some coaches are right so-and-so's, and some dads are a bit passionate. What's the real story here, I wonder? Still, if you beat someone up you have to take the punishment.
not a regular
says...
2:17pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Sure, he may have said "Dad, I've been dropped, beat up the gaffer" but how do we know he wasn't simply phoning to vent, to talk, to ask for advice?
I'm 25 and still call my dad if I encounter a situation I'm not familiar with but feel he may be able to lend some experience.
As for the father, a caution? Ridiculous that he reacted that way and disgraceful consequences from the police. What's he going to do next, stab a baby for screaming on the bus? Torch a kebab shop for not giving him enough chips?
Reg Edit
says...
2:26pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Nascot wrote:you could be right Nascot....but I doubt it.
Reg Edit wrote:The story I fear Reg is the multi million £ prima donnas that footballers are today and the antics they get up to, both on and off the pitch. Unfortunately they are looked up as heros and role models and it is being reflected down at grass roots level
There's a lot of vitriol against the son here. The son did not do any of the beating and therefore is, from the information available, completely innocent. The son should not be banned from anything or punished, although he will probably have to move club. No, the father did the deed and so it is he who should be the focus of your attention and take all the punishment. There must be more to this story though, people don't just beat up the coach because their son got left out. Some coaches are right so-and-so's, and some dads are a bit passionate. What's the real story here, I wonder? Still, if you beat someone up you have to take the punishment.
I don't remember any premiership footballers getting their dad to come round and smash the manager up, not even Beckham when Fergie hit him on his model head with a boot and cut him.
Stick to the facts, a dad went well OTT and we don't know why. I doubt we ever will.
Very disturbing what TH says above about Cassiobury and Everett. That is far more serious and I hope was punished appropriately.
You can get loony parents, biased refs, stupid and biased lino's and mad coaches, but mostly they're fine and there's never a need to resort to violence. Better to just walk away and try elsewhere.
There are lots of good teams locally, many looking for players each year. Some bad managers lose several players at the end of the season who "have had enough" which is preferable to going over and punching him.
Nascot
says...
8:13pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Reg Edit wrote:Nearest I get to agreement from you Reg, I'll settle for that!
Nascot wrote:you could be right Nascot....but I doubt it. I don't remember any premiership footballers getting their dad to come round and smash the manager up, not even Beckham when Fergie hit him on his model head with a boot and cut him. Stick to the facts, a dad went well OTT and we don't know why. I doubt we ever will. Very disturbing what TH says above about Cassiobury and Everett. That is far more serious and I hope was punished appropriately. You can get loony parents, biased refs, stupid and biased lino's and mad coaches, but mostly they're fine and there's never a need to resort to violence. Better to just walk away and try elsewhere. There are lots of good teams locally, many looking for players each year. Some bad managers lose several players at the end of the season who "have had enough" which is preferable to going over and punching him.Reg Edit wrote: There's a lot of vitriol against the son here. The son did not do any of the beating and therefore is, from the information available, completely innocent. The son should not be banned from anything or punished, although he will probably have to move club. No, the father did the deed and so it is he who should be the focus of your attention and take all the punishment. There must be more to this story though, people don't just beat up the coach because their son got left out. Some coaches are right so-and-so's, and some dads are a bit passionate. What's the real story here, I wonder? Still, if you beat someone up you have to take the punishment.The story I fear Reg is the multi million £ prima donnas that footballers are today and the antics they get up to, both on and off the pitch. Unfortunately they are looked up as heros and role models and it is being reflected down at grass roots level
G_Whiz
says...
8:18pm Fri 21 Sep 12
Hehe - "i'm gonna get my dad on you!"
Zola will need to get a body guard - he has dropped a few players lately!
andyandyandy says...
5:32pm Thu 20 Sep 12
Ridiculous.