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Football Association charges for Swanley Red and Cobham goalkeeper after The North Kent Sunday League clash

The Football Association's serious case panel have handed out fines following an abandoned Sunday League match between Cobham Sunday and Swanley Red.

There were accusations of racial and sexual comments, along with threats of violence, including the use of a machete, as the game was abandoned following a third mass confrontation.

The game between Swanley Red and Cobham Sunday was abandoned
The game between Swanley Red and Cobham Sunday was abandoned

Swanley Red were charged with two counts of misconduct as was the Cobham goalkeeper Craig Hotchkiss - following provocation - and the FA commission found them proven.

The North Kent Sunday League match was played on October 23. Swanley were charged with a failure to ensure directors, players, officials, employees, servants, representatives, conduct themselves in an orderly fashion. It was alleged that words and/or behaviour made reference to race and colour, referring to a comment of "monkey" and/or "he looks like he's been in a chimney."

The second charge was over failing to ensure spectators and/or its supporters (and anyone purporting to be its supporter or followers) conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and was in regards to the same alleged comments.

Those comments were alleged to have been aimed at the Cobham goalkeeper. Mr Hotchkiss' own statement said: "I was the goalkeeper and was receiving abuse from their side-lines and their subs comments like monkey, he looks like he's been in a chimney, and this was going on in the second half."

Swanley argued that their players were referred to as "queer, gay and threatening them with a fight at full-time in the car park." It was further added that "one of their subs came running on and launched a two foot fly-kick into the back of one of our players, and [a player] threatened to stab our player with a machete."

The referee provided statements he received from both clubs to the FA's commission but in his own submission the match official said he didn't hear any of the alleged comments.

The commission received a number of witness statements, from both clubs, but said they "prefer evidence of what the match official saw and heard only." Evidence that couldn't be verified wasn't used in the decision making process

The applicable standard of proof required for this case is the civil standard of the balance of probability. Swanley, who accepted the charge from the outset and requested a correspondence hearing, were fined £160.

Their club secretary, in the report, stated that: "I can without a shadow of a doubt confirm that there was no racist, homophobic, sexist or any comments of the nature made by any Swanley FC player or supporter."

The FA's Victoria Fletcher adjudicated on the charges and also for the Cobham goalkeeper.

It was alleged that Mr Hotchkiss used abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting language contrary to FA Rule E3.1, and it is further alleged that this is an aggravated breach as defined by FA Rule E3.2 because it includes a reference to gender. This refers to the comment(s) "fat ******* whore" and "she should get in the kitchen" directed at a female spectator or similar."

Chairman of Cobham Sunday SB who, was acting as a linesman during the match, stated that the goalkeeper, following comments from the sideline was "standing up for himself." The report stated that the "commission may take in to consideration a degree of provocation although this does not limit liability."

Mr Hotchkiss was fined £45, suspended for six matches and must complete an online FA Equality Education course. The decision is subject to the right of appeal.

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