One out of the box: Jets owner 'abused' fans
Ben Smee
January 20, 2009
NEWCASTLE Jets owner Con Constantine admitted that he swore at a group of fans and threatened to throw one of them off the balcony of his private box during Sunday's win over Perth at EnergyAustralia Stadium.
Football Federation Australia has confirmed it is investigating the incident involving Constantine and five leading members of the Squadron supporters group. One of those present, Nigel Bosworth, described the tirade as disgusting, abusive and arrogant. "No one should ever have to put up with that sort of abuse, let alone the most loyal supporters of the club," he said.
Constantine confirmed details of the incident yesterday, and said he had called Squadron president Tim Verschelden to his box during the first half to discuss fan protests taking place around the stadium.
Constantine admitted to abusing Verschelden and the four other fans, but told the Herald yesterday he remained firm in a threat to ban any disloyal troublemakers for life.
When asked if he had threatened to throw Verschelden from the box, Constantine replied: "Yeah, when you're upset with someone you say a lot of things.
"I swore at them because I knew they were wrong. At the end of the night Timmy and his family came back to the club, so he obviously didn't take it too badly."
Constantine said there was no room for troublemakers at the club, and that a number of fans were on a last warning. The protests that raised Constantine's ire, described as "ironic" and "tongue-in-cheek" by Squadron members yesterday, included placing three banners upside down on the Eastern Grandstand and fans waving white handkerchiefs.
Security guards removed the banners during the first half. Also taken down was a non-Squadron banner on the Western Grandstand that read "Newcastle Jets: We've Been Conned." A fan also brought a two-metre high wooden spoon to the match.
Constantine said such protests "killed the credibility" of the club. "If they think for one minute that I'm happy that I got the wooden spoon, they should know I'm a bad loser," he said. "If they have an issue with the club they could have come and addressed it with me."
Bosworth said supporters were loyal to Newcastle and the team, not Constantine. "It disgusts me to see a club that I support, and that represents the town I grew up in, be so low to people over an issue as trivial as a few banners turned upside down," Bosworth said.
Squadron member Gavin Austin said Constantine's comments were made in the heat of the moment, but described the way he treated the fans as "unbelievable". "I think the thing that upset us the most was the way we chose to demonstrate [our unhappiness] was in a pleasant way," Austin said. "If we instigated it then his reaction was a lot worse."
An FFA spokeswoman confirmed an investigation was under way. The spokeswoman confirmed the FFA would also speak with the fans involved.
Squadron members vacated their usual bay and members chanted for the removal of Constantine and coach Gary Van Egmond. Jets fans also flooded a popular internet forum yesterday, and many joined in calls for Constantine to sell the club.
