Reading coach Downes lifts lid on Blades ruck
tribalfooball.com - January 25, 2007
Reading coach Wally Downes stands by his actions after his bust-up with Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock on Saturday.
Downes has been hit with an FA improper conduct charge and is ready to inform Football Association chiefs exactly what Warnock said to make him lose his cool last weekend.
Downes told The Reading Evening Chronicle: "He tried putting his own spin on things and got it in early. He locked himself in that dressing room for an hour putting his story together. He gave his sequence of events in the hope the powers-that-be would believe him. But I know what I heard and what I saw and there is no parallel between what he said and the answers I'll give the FA when I see them. I will tell them exactly what happened. I will give my side of the events and I have people who can back me up because they heard it too."
The suggestion is Warnock told Blades midfielder Nick Montgomery to 'do him' in relation to a heavy challenge by Reading's Steve Sidwell on Chris Armstrong.
But Warnock claimed he was merely alerting referee Mark Halsey to Sidwell's tackle.
"Wally ran across and pushed us," said Warnock. "He's trying to say I'm telling people to break legs again, which is absolute garbage. The referee heard what I said, he's the one that matters."
However, Downes insists Halsey was out of ear-shot when Warnock made his inflammatory comments about seeking retribution.
"I know what I saw and what I heard and I can't speak for the referee," fumed Downes. "But you can only hold your tongue and let things go for so long.
"Sometimes you have to take a stand and I couldn't sit back and let him say things like that about our players.
"I've got a good disciplinary record. I've been coaching since 1989 and I've never been told to leave the bench, sent off or anything like that.
"I have no problem with any managers or anybody else. But look at Neil Warnock's record and you will see there is something going on with him every week. It's not like me to get the hump with managers or officials but there is definitely a problem in this case."
