It's tough not to react when you get abuse
The Football League Paper|March 08, 2020
BUT YOU HAVE TO BE CALM
It's tough not to react when you get abuse

I CAN sympathise with Eric Dier, the Tottenham Hotspur defender who clambered into the crowd to confront a supporter.

The England man was reportedly trying to help his brother, who was being abused by an angry Spurs fan in the stands.

As a player, you take a lot of stick. I played 490-odd games and I got abused in every single one of them. My wife, my mum, my dad, my dog everyone was insulted. Really nasty, horrible stuff.

The dog’s abuse I got at Chesterfield was awful. I’d only taken over as interim manager, but I got hammered from the minute my team kicked off. Not support. Abuse. From my own fans. You sit there and can’t believe it.

Was I tempted to react? Of course. I’ve often had to talk to myself, calm down, and remind myself that my career comes first.

This story is from the March 08, 2020 edition of The Football League Paper.

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This story is from the March 08, 2020 edition of The Football League Paper.

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