The non-league player Tony Thompson was “knocked sick” after a fan allegedly urinated in his drinks bottle during an FA Trophy tie. The Warrington Town goalkeeper was furious after being sent off for confronting the supporter behind his goal during the 1-0 defeat at home to Guiseley.
“Today I fell out of love with the game,” Thompson wrote on Twitter. “I’ve been called many names but for someone to piss in my bottle, for me to drink it and then to be told I wasn’t allowed to react because I’m a player is outrageous. That person has put me my family’s health at risk and knocked me sick.”
The incident led to a long stoppage as players confronted fans behind the goal at Warrington’s Cantilever Park.
Warrington’s manager, Mark Beesley, felt the match official made the wrong decision. “The Guiseley staff apologised – it was disgusting and there’s no place in life for things like that,” he told the Warrington Guardian. “I think the referee has completely lost control after that. If someone urinates in my bottle and I drink it, I’m going to throw it away. To send him off for throwing the bottle away is a disgrace.
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“The referee has to see common sense – I can’t understand it. From our point of view, the welfare of our players is paramount and what Tony was subjected to was disgraceful. Whoever did it should hang their head in shame and never be allowed into a football game again.”
Warrington had tweeted during the game: “An away fan has apparently urinated in his water bottle, and then when Thompson has squirted it at said ‘fan’ after finding out, he’s been sent off.”
