Tom Pope is currently under FA investigation following a tweet he made hours after scoring at Man City in the FA Cup Third Round.
The 34 year old Port Vale forward took to Twitter to answer a question from a fan, however it appeared anti-Semitic in nature after being asked to ‘predict the result of WWIII’.
He responded: “We invade Iran then Cuba then North Korea then the Rothchilds are crowned champions of every bank on the planet.”
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When it was pointed out that the FA had confirmed it will “seek observations” from Pope and Port Vale over the message, the striker hit back.
He said: “How is it racist? Seriously is someone out to destroy me or what?
“Someone asked how does WW3 end and I replied when I said countries were invaded and they have all the banks!! What’s the problem with that? Seriously??”
Pope added: “It was saying they own every bank on the planet except them mentioned!
“That’s a fact and there’s nothing else to it! Stop making up nonsense that wasn’t its purpose.”
But Pope now faces a possible charge of an “aggravated breach” of FA Rule E3 (2) if the tweet is deemed to have “included a reference, whether expressed or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin”.
Pope decided to delete his tweet with the FA looking into the matter and could take action depending on the outcome of talks with both the player and his club.
Pope went viral after his goal at the Etihad Stadium when he continued to made a cheeky dig or two with City’s John Stones.
Sorry I can’t reply to everyone it’s gone mental! I’d just like to say I was completely wrong and bang out of order to say I’d score 40 a season….. it’s more like 50 ??? enjoy your weekend ??????
— Tom Pope (@Tom_Pope9) January 4, 2020
Last summer Pope, 34, mocked Stones in a tweet, claiming he would score 40 goals a season if he faced the England defender every week.
Port Vale’s Tom Pope just scored against John Stones’ Man City, seven months after tweeting this ? https://t.co/FVbIxmZNFa
— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 4, 2020
On the tweets about Stones, Pope said after the game: “It was only banter and people have dug it up because we’ve drawn Man City. All of a sudden it’s everywhere and people have been on my case about it.
“He’s a world-class centre-half. I was just saying he wasn’t very physical and that’s it. If people think I’m wrong, well, I don’t care.
“I spoke to (Benjamin) Mendy and he said all their players had battered him for weeks about it and they got him that wound up about it and then obviously I’ve scored and he’s probably devastated.
“But I was just hoping I got a half chance to try to put one away. The last thing you want to do is get beaten 7-0 after everything that’s gone on Twitter, not score and everyone laugh.
“They all dragged me in, the Man City players, but John wouldn’t speak to me. It was a little bit awkward. I shook his hand but he wasn’t too happy.”
After checking out Tom Pope’s tweet, which was anti-Semitic in nature after being asked to ‘predict the result of WWIII’, fans gave a mixed reactio., some sympathised with him and others slammed the player, hoping he got punished – see those tweets on the next page.
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