Jack Wilshere has expressed his surprise at being charged with misconduct by the Football Association for his expletive-laden mocking of Tottenham Hotspur, claiming the incident was “just a bit of fun” and indicative of the special bond he enjoys with the Arsenal support.
The England midfielder, who provided one of the more impressive performances in the national side’s draw against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, has until 6pm on Wednesday to respond to the charge. The 23-year-old had taken the microphone during his club’s victory parade after their FA Cup win to lead the anti-Spurs chants and, with the club having reminded him of his responsibilities, subsequently apologised publicly for his actions.
That sense of contrition did not stave off the charge with Wilshere learning he faced a potential sanction – he will be fined if found guilty – when informed by a member of the FA’s media team last week having joined up with the national squad at St George’s Park.
“It was a surprise,” he said. “I didn’t know I’d been charged so I was like, ‘What?’ when one of the press officers told me. It’s being dealt with by the FA and my club, and what will be will be.”
Wilshere had been warned by Arsenal about a similar incident a year ago after the team lifted the same trophy against Hull City. Asked if he considered his latest charge a lesson belatedly learned, a hope expressed by the England manager, Roy Hodgson, on Saturday, the midfielder said: “Yes, that’s one way of looking at it. But, at the same time, people have been giving me a lot of stick for having some fun and enjoying myself at the end of [a successful season].
“We’ve worked hard all year as a group of players and we’ve won a trophy. That’s the best feeling in the world. No matter what job you do, if at the end of the year you get a promotion and a bonus, you’re going to go out and celebrate. From that side of things [celebrating success] it was a bit harsh.
“I’ve always had that bond with the Arsenal fans since I was young because I came through the club. I grew up at Arsenal and I love the fans. I am quite proud of that. But, believe it or not, I’ve actually got family who are Tottenham fans so it’s nothing personal against them. It was just a bit of fun.”
The incident is not being assessed within the parameters of the FA’s code of conduct for England players, with those guidelines aimed at targeting more serious offences, particularly criminal matters.
The behaviour of England and Ireland fans at the Aviva Stadium, the sides’ first meeting in Dublin since visiting supporters rioted and forced the abandonment of a friendly in 1995, has drawn praise. Only five England fans were arrested in Dublin with security around the game passing off essentially incident-free.
“There were no incidents of disorder in Dublin on Saturday or Sunday nights, and a very good atmosphere inside the stadium, which was undoubtedly helped by an early kick-off time which meant access to pubs and off-licences was limited,” said the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for football policing, assistant chief constable Mark Roberts. “In addition, the security measures back in Britain have been successful, with a 96% compliance rate on passport surrender. The security operation around this match has been a success and I want to thank all those who helped that happen.”
“We would like to thank supporters for their exemplary behaviour inside the Aviva Stadium and the respect they showed each other throughout the match,” said Tony Conniford, the FA’s head of teams and corporate security. “It’s pleasing to see both the fixture against Republic of Ireland at Wembley in 2013 and the recent match pass off incident-free and this is the result of a lot of behind-the-scenes work alongside the relevant authorities, and internally at the FA.
“We hope that by continuing to work together we will ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all supporters following England home and away. The reputation of England supporters has made great strides over the years and we all want to see that continue.”
