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Charlton’s Jayden Stockley hits back at Sunderland boss over headbutt claim

Charlton’s Jayden Stockley hits back at Sunderland boss Lee Johnson over the headbutt claim from when the two clubs played the other weekend.

The player was accused of headbutting Tom Flanagan last month after the Addicks ended Sunderland’s 100 per cent home record when running out 1-0 winners during Johnnie Jackson’s first game as caretaker manager.

Stockley got the only goal of the game during the second half but was accused of striking Flanagan with his head  in the first-period, with Johnson predicting that the authorities would look to take retrospective action against the Charlton man.

However, it comes as no surprise that there wasn’t any punishment and Stockley has suggested that Johnson, who has since seen his side lose twice more in League One and was dumped out of the FA Cup by League Two outfit Mansfield, was trying to create a distraction to take attention away from the defeat.

“I just think that sometimes comments like that can be used to cover up a result,” said Stockley when asked for his thoughts on the comments from Johnson.

“I don’t think it’s right that it gets put out there in the media. Other refs can be influenced. There was a game just after that, Rotherham the other night. When things like that get bandied around, other refs can have a preconceived idea of what sort of player I am.

“I think it should be monitored what gets put out there, especially as players you can’t say too much. I think there should be a bit of respect when words like that get bandied about.”

Johnson said a few weeks back on the alleged incident: “Jayden Stockley won’t be available for the next three games because he’s head-butted Tom Flanagan flush in the face. That will have to go to the FA.

“It’s an absolute stonewall red card, and he’s then gone on to score the goal so that’s part of the decision making. There’s eight sets of eyes who should be able to see that but for whatever reason, they haven’t.

“I felt that there was a penalty for us in terms of their centre-half making a brilliant save. It’s outside the line of the body. Is it a bit close to the body? That might be a mitigating factor but not when you speak to the referee and he says the arm is behind his body.

“Was it a foul (on Flanagan for the goal)? I don’t know, there’s two hands on him. It would have maybe been a bit soft, considering the level of contact he’d allowed through the game.

“It was like a judo game at times and he’s set himself a precedent by allowing that. And then I felt Lynden Gooch was in on goal and he allowed contact which could have been a red card.”

Johnson intended to seek clarification over the degree of physical contact that will be allowed to go unpunished this season, with Drysdale’s leniency infuriating him to the extent that he received a yellow card during the second half.

He added: “The frustration is, are we coaching our players to wrestle, scrap, elbow, headbutt, whatever? Or will there be protection from the referees? I don’t mind a bit of rough and tumble but I need to know what I can tell my players.

“You have to give them (Charlton) credit, we’ve had six wins on the spin at home and they’ve come out with three points in the bag.”

Twitter users reacted as Charlton’s Jayden Stockley hits back at the Sunderland boss over his headbutt claim…

@platty82639487: Fair play Jayden. Johnson will be gone for the return fixture anyway 👍😂

@johno59uk: Agree with Jayden, I’m sure his booking against Rotherham was influenced by Johnson’s comments. Jayden is a handful for opposition defenders but is in no way a ‘dirty’ player

@RainhamRob: Classy response from Jayden.

@daveC1954: Maybe if Johnson spent more time analysing his own teams weaknesses rather than blame others he may have avoided a run of 4 consecutive defeats!

@PhilReddy1: Completely agree – Sunderland results say it all ! Plus I watch the guy get his shirt virtually ripped off his back and get no protection week after week! Not sure what he has to do to even win a free kick?

@smit112: Ha! Well done Jayden sour grapes from Johnson. #cafc

@chatman_phil: Yes Stockley, sticking two fingers up to cry baby Johnson 👊🏻 #cafc

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