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Sour scenes as Brentford fan abuses Ollie Watkins and Boubacar Kamara sees red for throat grab

There were sour scenes as a Brentford fan abuses Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Boubacar Kamara sees red for a throat grab of Yarmoliuk.

Things became ugly at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday with Aston Villa issuing a statement on one of the incidents that took place inside the ground.

Aston Villa match winner Ollie Watkins spoke following the match on abuse which led to the manner of his celebration in the 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford.

Watkins could be seen standing in the Brentford goal, pointing straight at a fan in the West Stand after nodding home the goal to complete Villa’s comeback against his former side who whom he spent three years as a player before departing in 2020.

Then there was a heated flare up towards the end, with Villa’s Boubacar Kamara getting sent off in added time with a total of 10 bookings dished out in the last 18 minutes of the game.

Watkins said via Sky Sports that he had total respect his old club but was left feeling “agitated” by the persistent abuse from one fan in particular.

It is claimed that the comments made related to Watkins’ family, but were not of a racial nature.

“It was a bit of a feisty game, it all spurred from my celebration but that’s not down to a lack of respect for the fans,” he said.

“I love the club, the players and staff, I’ve not got a bad word to say against them. But there was one person who was abusing me all game, the celebration wasn’t to anyone else but it was directed directly at him.

“[Thomas Frank] asked me why I had celebrated like that, I’m still on texting terms with him but it’s because of that reason.

“I feel like I’ve done so much for the club and they’ve done so much for me, football’s football and you can have a bit of banter but not when it’s personal.

“If the club don’t believe me it’s up to them – but I’ve explained it to Thomas and he knows I wouldn’t do that for no reason. It agitated me and that’s what happened.”

www.fanbanter.co.uk – Fan reaction to the latest football news, gossip & funnies

Aston Villa have since called for the matter to be investigated.

The club said on Twitter: “Aston Villa FC wants to express its support for Ollie Watkins and, with the utmost respect for the big majority of Brentford fans and for the club, we ask the authorities to investigate this incident to find this individual.

“Zero tolerance to abuse in football.”

Emery received a yellow card for his part in trying to break up the scuffle which saw Kamara get a red card for raising his hands to Yegor Yarmolyuk.

“Of course we are happy with the result,” Emery said. “But I could be happier. I want to analyse collectively and individually with the players, but it is my spirit when we are playing and winning to try to respect everything.

“On the pitch, the players are excited, both teams had some nervous moments, and things like what we saw can happen. But I want to work on it, because the red card of Kamara and some individual behaviours I don’t want in my team.

“We need to always keep our minds in balance. My message before the matches is always the same – respect ourselves, respect the opponent, respect the referees.

“We lost a little bit of our minds today in some of those behaviours, I want to focus and react to control it.”

Kamara will now be absent for games against Sheffield United, Manchester United and Burnley.

“The big problem today is the red card of Kamara,” Emery added in his post-match press conference. “This is the biggest problem for us.”

Brentford boss Thomas Frank defend his former player Watkins, calling him a “top person with top integrity”, and then criticised VAR for its role in Ben Mee’s red card when Brentford were ahead. Mee’s first red in 10 years.

Frank said that Mee, who at first was booked for the high challenge on Leon Bailey, was being treated harshly by VAR official Craig Pawson, who didn’t award a penalty, despite claims by his same defender before the break.

“We were on top of the game in many ways, then a red card changed the game,” he told Sky Sports. “After that there were a lot of incidents I didn’t like, it’s not how the game should be played.

“Ollie is a very good player, and a top person with top integrity. I was surprised about the situation, I spoke to him and it was about a fan. He always shows class, so there’s no problem there.

“I don’t think it was a red card, we need consistency with VAR. We got a yellow with Frank Onyeka which I think is a red. Today, I watched it back, and it’s not a red. We need consistency.

“I think he should have had a penalty earlier in the game too. I’m big on VAR, but I don’t think David [Coote] had enough help from it. I still believe we need to learn lessons and go on with that if it did make mistakes, but it’s hard.”

Player ratings (as per Sky Sports)

Aston Villa: Martinez (7); Konsa (7), Carlos (7), Torres (7); Cash (6), Kamara (6), Ramsey (7), McGinn, (7), Moreno (8); Diaby (6), Watkins (8).

Subs: Duran (6), Bailey (7), Zaniolo (6), Dendoncker (n/a).

Brentford: Flekken (6); Zanka (6), Pinnock (6), Mee (5); Roerslev (6), Damsgaard (7), Norgaard (7), Janelt (6), Ghoddos (7); Lewis-Potter (7), Wissa (6).

Subs: Maupay (6), Onyeka (6), Collins (6), Yarmolyuk (n/a), Olakigbe (n/a)

Player of the match: Ollie Watkins.

This is how social media reacted to the sour scenes as Brentford fan abuses Ollie Watkins and Boubacar Kamara sees red for a throat grab…

@carlo174: Typical football fans, dish out abuse all game and as soon as the player dares to give something back then he’s the scumbag – how does that work? Fair play to him I say

@james4567891011: Personally love it when you see a player give it back to the fans if they’ve received stick. Well done Ollie Watkins 👏👏👏

@designs_HR: I get the impression Ollie Watkins is quite a laid back bloke so whatever that person said must have been bad

@JustinMcDo17539: With you Ollie, not like you to celebrate in that way even MOTD were on your side. Brentford fans are not usually known to abuse players but there is always one at all clubs who let their side down. UTV Ollie, love you son. 🦁

@Andyphilipday: Stewards should’ve picked this up and dealt with this guy. If it was loud enough to be heard on the pitch, and going on all match they had ample opportunity to address the individual.

@B6Nigel: The Bees 🐝 fans that are all so quick to give it out, get rattled by the slightest sign of response. When I saw Troy Deeney celebrating in front of the Holte for Watford, I hated it. But a bit of me thought ‘fair play fella’. It’s what we’d all do in that situation isn’t it?

@butts_1: Got the last laugh! 😍😍

@catrinavfc: love you ollie 💜

@CairneyhelpyouV: Classic Brentford fans abusing a club legend, classless club.

@Jotopsy: Should be easy to find. Ollie pointed straight at him/her. No need for over the top abuse. Not something Brentford fans are known for so they’d probably be delighted to be rid of that individual. I stand with Ollie 💜💙

@BugsyTheRabbit: Fair play Ollie calling him out and shoving it up him with that goal 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻 #vtid

@JustTheVilla: The most un-Watkins like reaction under anything like normal circumstances. Such an even tempered guy. Whatever happened, someone really earned it.

@VillaVisionBen: Ollie fair play mate. You should not be abused we all love too have banter with opposition players but abuse has no place in football the fact the Brentford players had a go at you is a disgrace

@Itsfletchisback: How does this still happen in todays day and age. Keep going Ollie. 💜💙

@GavSi1814: Totally behind Ollie 👏🏽 well done mate, the perfect answer towards hatred

@cameron_woodHFD: We stand with you Ollie

@JayVtid: Ollie is a top professional. Whatever that person said, it must have been really bad.

@JSS2701: We’re all with you, Ollie. Some people go to far. If you encountered one of them today he deserves all the reaction you gave him.

@Kieronvillaman8: Ollie dealt with it the only way he could UTV 💜💙

@Socia11st: Don’t blame him, if you’re gonna dish it out, you have to take it, and you should never make it personal or about someone’s family.

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