The forgotten man involved in one of the craziest incidents to ever happen during a football game has opened up on his 'involvement'.
It was back in January 1995 when Manchester United star Eric Cantona jumped into the Selhurst Park crowd and unleashed a kung-fu kick on Palace fan Matthew Simmons.
The incident earned the Frenchman community service after an appearance in court and a nine-month ban from the Football Association, but now 24 years on former Palace defender Richard Shaw, who is now the club's Under-23 coach, has hit-out at claims that he started the commotion by winding Cantona up during the game.
"I want to share my thoughts on Manchester United" he told the United website .
"In the past, a lot has been said about me and United because that night Eric Cantona had his altercation with a Palace supporter, he’d just been sent off for kicking me.
"The story goes that I’d been kicking him all over the pitch all night long, so I provoked him into getting sent off, then the thing with the fan happened, so it was all my fault. That’s just not true. Believe me, I’ve watched the whole game back and I wasn’t doing anything out of order.
"I have absolutely no issue with Manchester United; nothing but respect for such a great club. When the fixtures come out, United are the first club you look for. It was the same when I was a player. Those guys: Giggs, Kanchelskis, Cantona, Hughes, Ince, Keane… I could go on and on. That football club has always been incredible."
