It would be an interesting exercise to compare the online and newspaper column inches devoted to the breaking of the story of Nick Provenzano’s supposed racist exchange with the entire Lincoln City bench, and it’s resolution a few weeks ago with a Not Guilty verdict. As with all media witch hunts the accusations are splashed over the front pages, whilst the finding of innocence is a dribbled word or two just next to the Greyhound results. It would also be a tediously lengthy, time-consuming exercise, so we won’t bother. This blog isn’t run by Woodward and Bernstein you know!
The majority of the wider public, who caught the beginning of the story but haven’t heard the verdict, may well still associate the words, “Kettering” with “racism”. Unfortunately this sort of accusation tends to stick in the public perception. Years from now when our name is mentioned there will be people scratching their heads and thinking, “Wasn’t there some racist stuff going on there…?”
Never mind that none of the details can be recalled. It doesn’t matter that Nick was found not guilty. It doesn’t even matter if our players wear “let’s kick racism out of football” t-shirts from now till the day they die, there will always be a faded, but distinct stain on the good name of Kettering Town.
Did Peter Jackson really think he saw Nick racially abusing his Assistant Manager? Did Jackson reap the results of winding the occupants of the Main Stand? Was he looking for a way of excusing his team being outplayed by a club he had already repeatedly disparaged? We’ll never know. As soon as you shout “Racist” all the other stuff going on is quickly forgotten.
There are no winners (except our team obviously!) Nick lost his good name for 9-months. The Poppies were tainted by the allegation. Even mouthy, slick-haired Jackson lost out on signing his new contract after the replay because we’d just spanked his boys. PATGOD may well be the only winner, even if this is only because we’ve managed to squeeze the sordid affair into another article-sized article.
.
.
“Now nine months of hell are over and I can get back to watching Kettering Town”
Come on Nick, haven’t you suffered enough?
No comments:
Post a Comment