Former Middlesbrough goalkeeper Connor Ripley was subjected to abuse he labelled ‘disgusting’ during the match between Port Vale and Carlisle United.
Ripley, who is the son of Boro cult hero Stuart Ripley, took to ‘X’ to vent his displeasure and disappointment at events that took place behind the goal during the fixture on New Years Day. His tweet read, ‘Really disappointed about the result yesterday against Carlisle but one thing that has stood out to me more than anything yesterday is what was being said to me behind the goal by a couple Carlisle fans!’
He continued, ‘I don’t mind people saying stuff to me normally and i will always give a bit back cause that’s who I am but in all my years playing football I’ve never had anyone tell me “go and hang yourself”. Ripley is a big and colourful character in the sport and even Boro fans have been on the receiving end of some of his banter as he explained before their Carabao Cup tie that Port Vale should relish the opportunity to play a beatable Boro side. The popular player has also been seen enjoying a pint with fans in the bar after a game, still in his full keeper kit, but nothing could have prepared him for the vitriol he experienced during the match against Carlisle.
Fans’ behaviour condemned
Whilst condemning the actions of the fans in question, Ripley also pointed out in his tweet that they must acknowledge the human element of footballers and the implications of fans’ abuse, adding, “I think it’s disgusting and because I play for a different team to them they think they can say stuff like that whilst I am working! You don’t know what I’m going through and you don’t know if that could have had a serious effect on me. Maybe people just need to think that we’re just normal people with family and friends.”
There was a large contingent of Carlisle fans who were keen to distance themselves from such vile comments and have offered their support for the Port Vale number one. The 30-year-old has since issued an update thanking those fans and also Carlisle United football club for contacting him personally to apologise. He also reiterated that he can take ‘banter and abuse’ better than most but on this occasion it was too far. ‘We are human beings that are doing a job and shouldn’t receive that kind of abuse’, said Ripley.