Charlie coach concerned for community’s image after fracas

Charlie Smith coach Eugene Williams is concerned that a post-match incident during a Walker Cup game against Vauxhall on Tuesday could reflect poorly on a community that has worked hard to improve its image.

The incident, which included physical clashes between supporters from both teams, occurred after the teams played to a 1-1 draw and Vauxhall secured a 5-4 win on penalties.

Scenes from the incident circulated on social media, but Williams believes the footage presented a misleading picture of what transpired.

“We were leading 1-0 up to the 85th minute. The referee made a decision (for Vauxhall penalty), which the assistant (referee) called him to wave it off.

“The ref was still pointing to the spot and people started coming on to the field. The ref then called his assistant and the decision was taken. No penalty.

“From there a video of everything was sent in the schoolboy football group. Then I heard them say shots were fired and I wondered where?” he stated.

“I was wondering what is this for?”

Williams said the community has spent years shedding the stigma of violence associated with its football culture and believes the impression being portrayed does not accurately reflect what occurred.

“They are painting a (negative) picture (of Arnett and Charlie Smith) like that. It’s the first an incident like this is happening. KC came here and no problem occurred. Campion love it here.

“You will never hear a shot fire over Charlie Smith or Arnett complex. Nobody has ever tried to violate that.

“All the games that have been held at Arnett, have you ever heard of a car being broken into or people getting robbed? Never.

“That is how we take care of people coming here, because we always want them to come back,” he said.

According to Williams, Charlie Smith’s return to hosting home games has been a blessing for the Trench Town community and he fears that videos circulating without context could threaten that progress.

One video showed two young men involved in a physical confrontation. In another, Vauxhall supporters complained they were being locked inside the venue, while images also showed a shattered window on a bus that transported the Vauxhall team.

Williams, however, offered a different account of events.

“There is a video where they say they cannot leave. Instead of making the situation escalate, they were going to go over the (Anthony Spaulding) complex (next door) and have the bus come around.

“However, the reason they did not want to open the complex (gate) was because Honduras (national team) rented the venue to train.

“So nobody was supposed to go through the complex gate, and that is why the gate wasn’t opened at the same time.”

Williams also said he was unaware of what happened to the bus, but noted that the incident occurred outside the venue.

“I don’t know when that happened. Things might happen out [on the] road, but the school has no control over that. So nobody should be putting anything out there to paint a bad picture on Charlie Smith,” he said.

He added that once ISSA completes its investigation, he hopes the context behind the videos forms part of the discussion.

“Vauxhall will make a report. Charlie Smith will make a report. The referee will make their report and the police will give their report. ISSA is supposed to do their investigations and then make their decision.

“Things may have happened that I do not know of, but people shouldn’t be going around trying to paint a picture like Charlie Smith is the worst.”

The Gleaner was unable to reach Vauxhall coach Kyle Butler for comment. However, team manager David Reid said principal Prudence Brown-Pinnock had instructed members of the school community to refrain from making public statements until ISSA completed its findings.

“The school does not want to make any statements. The schools were not involved. It was really the supporters. So we don’t really want to get involved or escalate it.

“The coach will not give a statement unless the principal gives a statement. But we are trying not to say anything at this time,” he commented.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com