Racist Liverpool fan banned from football for 4 years

After Luis Suarez was briefly banned from football following his racial abuse towards Patrice Evra, there was a small belief that finally the whole racism saga would be temporarily put to bed. Despitethis, the saga continued after a Liverpool fan was caught on live television making a monkey gesture towards Patrice. Finally though, it looks like the whole case has been put to bed – at least until next season.

Police began investigating the claims against the Liverpool fan and today, after a court hearing, he was banned from football for 4 years and also fined. Upon investigation, it became clear that 58 year-old Phillip Gannon that in addition to making monkey gestures towards Evra, he was verbally abusing our captain. He reportedly shouted “You little black shit man” at Evra, as well as turning against his own fans – shouting “Fuck off you spastic mutants” towards the disabled section of the ground.

Whist it’s certainly justice that the fan’s been banned, it seems remarkable to me that a fan who’s convicted as a racist will be allowed back into English stadiums once again. Why should the ban be just 4 years, why shouldn’t he be banned for life? Liverpool FC failed to internally discipline Suarez after he was convicted earlier in the year, in fact they distastefully supported him, but you’d like to think they’ll take a bit of initiative and ban Gannon from ever visiting Anfield ever again.