Following the airing of distasteful chants regarding the demise of Sir Bobby Charlton during a Manchester City home match, a 17-year-old male has been charged by the police. Due to legal stipulations, the teenager’s identity remains undisclosed. He has been released on bail, with the stipulation that he abstains from attending any regulated football matches. The youth, charged with a public order offence, is slated to appear at the Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Youth Court on the 13th of November.
Additionally, a 14-year-old boy has been voluntarily interviewed in relation to the incident, and authorities have stated he will be “handled out of court”. This action follows the filming of a small cohort of fans at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City’s home ground, allegedly singing about the death of the celebrated England and Manchester United player.
The offensive chant was caught on camera during the half-time break of Manchester City’s 2-1 triumph over Brighton on Saturday, the 21st of October. This took place mere minutes after the public announcement of the World Cup champion’s death at the age of 86.
Known for surviving the Munich air disaster of 1958 that claimed the lives of eight of his Manchester United colleagues, Charlton had an illustrious 17-year run with the club. He netted 249 goals across 758 matches, contributing to the Red Devils’ three league title wins, an FA Cup victory, and the historic feat of being the first English club to clinch the European Cup in 1968.
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, expressed his disdain for the distasteful chanting during a press conference on Friday, stating that such behaviour did not reflect the ethos of the club. He added that despite the rivalry, the club holds a deep respect for Manchester United and especially for the iconic figure of Sir Bobby Charlton. Manchester City intends to extend their condolences to both Manchester United and English football.
Guardiola also mentioned Mike Summerbee, City’s ambassador, who represented the club by signing the book of condolence for Charlton at Old Trafford. The manager said, “He represents us.”
The club was swift to condemn the offensive chanting as “vile”, pledging to take prompt action against those found guilty. The two Manchester clubs, known for their intense rivalry, are due to play against each other on Sunday afternoon. A minute’s applause in memory of Sir Bobby is planned before the commencement of the match.
