Deaf striker cruelly mimicked by yobs at football match

Daniel Ailey Archant

LOWLIFE yobs mimicked a Potters Bar footballer with hearing and speech difficulties, during a match last night (Tuesday).

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Daniel Ailey (back row fourth from the left) with the rest of the Potters Bar Town squad

Ugly scenes unfolded as Grays Athletic fans sickeningly taunted one-time GB deaf team star, Daniel Ailey and police were called.

The striker, who makes a “grunting” sound to attract teammates’ attention, was cruelly mocked by a section of the travelling fans, during the course of the game, which Grays won 2-0.

Potters Bar Town manager Adam Lee told the Potters Bar Edition it was “a sad state of affairs”, and said he thought attitudes would have been more enlightened since this summer’s Paralympics in London.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: “We can confirm that police were called to Potters Bar Football Club, The Walk, Potters Bar shortly after 9.30pm on Tuesday (October 23) following reports of a disturbance.”

He added: “Upon police arrival the disturbance had stopped.

“The disturbance has been referred to the FA.”

* For full details and more in-depth reaction from Potters Bar Town FC’s manager buy next week’s Potters Bar Edition of the Welwyn Hatfield Times, out on October 31.

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