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Adam Johnson Trial Verdict

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FanchesterCity said:
Even if the club knew he'd kissed a girl, they wouldn't necessarily know the nature of the kiss etc - for all they know, a player could innocently kiss a fan on the cheek then be accused of kissing on the mouth, and being something it wasn't. That's why they probably too the right course of action and decided not to make any summary judgment of their own, but leave it to the courts to determine his guilt (or not).

How much Sunderland FC knew of the 'detail' of the accusations is unknown, but from the statement is suggest a 'broad outline' - which implies they had a grasp that is was of a sexual nature with a minor - hence them having to do some safeguard checks. Johnson could well have said 'I've made a terrible mistake being alone with a fan, and I've kissed her - with no sexual intent, and I intend to defend myself in court' - leaving the club in a quandry. For all they knew (at that time) it might have been nothing more than a wild exaggeration from an infatuated fan. I'm not surprised the legal advice they received was to let things play out before hanging him out to dry.

Johnson's assertion that they knew everything is most likely a wild exaggeration. It's probably far more accurate to say - they knew something of the details, but not enough to know he was guilty of anything.

The club statement doesn't need to air all the dirty laundry in public - it's enough to refute what he's said and wash their hands of it. The press will now turn their attention to Sunderland FC though - because that's what they do.
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Alternatively he might have lied to save himself. He's a lying bastard after all.
 

genericus said:
Usually i can abide your posts but you have gone on this strange Lauder like mission to be the biggest voice in argument against the club....yes i feel the statement was placatory but posting constantly isn't going to help, if anything it's making you look like a bit of an obsessive dick for constantly going on about it, it's an emotive subject i get it but there is only one victim in this case, it's not SAFC and it's certainly not you.
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I haven't claimed it's me. I just find people going out their way to defend the club silly and I genuinely don't see why. Just because we give them £400+ a year it doesn't mean they care about us. I have said things how I see them but that's it. I will not be writing letters, I will not be
Boycotting or demanding answers.

I just think they haven't helped themselves at all and will get lots of shit.
 
FanchesterCity said:
If your mate was accused of something, and you could offer genuine insight in court on his behalf - you probably would. I know I would - even if it was something intimate.
The moment you learn your mate is guilty (as they did when he pleaded guilty) - you'd no longer offer that support would you?

I don't see anything wrong with the initial support people were willing to offer, and their subsequent withdrawal of it when they knew more. And in practical terearms, there's only going to be a few people capable of testifying about the state of your pubic hair - women you're intimate with, and blokes at the gym where you shower (or team mates etc).
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my point is a broader one about football culture, not just at Sunderland but elsewhere - it's hardly as if Johnson's fall for grace is the only one in our club's history let alone generally. It ends in criminality but it doesn't start there. Maybe I'm overreacting but the way I see it we've all been massively let down first and foremost by him, but the culture itself seems out of control. You have lads in their 20s who become multi-millionaires and have people blowing smoke up their arse from an early age - is it any wonder that this sort of thing happens, exacerbated by management structures which aren't even permanently located in the region. Out of control.
 
janey said:
I know I keep saying it but I also keep saying I know how Courts and courtrooms work, I've given evidence for hours on end under cross examination, the barrister manipulating the evidence, the people I've been opposing lying their heads off in the dock. It happens, believe me.
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Out of interest. Why would the club knowing what he has done help his defence? Whether they knew about it or not it wouldn't change what he has or hasn't done
 
KNGHTHOOD said:
What position exactly do the mods stand in the law pyramid.
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Well they can't be seen to allow anything that could prejudice a trial or anything libellous but now that the trial has concluded, the club has made a statement and the case is over then there's no reason to stop discussion about it - although the same rules about libel apply and identifying the girl involved.

The vast majority on here aren't raging idiots in respect of things like that, but sadly one or two won't like it and post something stupid.

Just my opinion like. :lol:
 
timeforheroes1 said:
"Doing the right thing, would have meant axing Johnson the moment he and his barrister presented the club with his admission of kissing and grooming his 15-year old victim, and their 800 messages.

That, Bradford Crown Court heard, happened on May 4 last year, a couple of months after he was arrested.

It should have been clear to the club from that day that Johnson was guilty of preying on an under-age fan, even if it would take the legal process another nine months to confirm."

pretty much nail on head
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You've made the assumption that all the evidence you've read about the case (now) was available shown to the club a year ago. It wasn't.
As far as I'm concerned the club would have been made aware that is was an accusation of a sexual nature with a minor - which thus prompted them to make sure safeguards were in place.
I very much doubt that his barrister was giving detailed information to the club thereafter, and I strongly suspect Johnson was sticking to the 'I made a silly mistake and kissed a girl' line (it's unclear if he told the club he KNEW she was underage).

As others have said, for a year he's denied it all, then at the last minute he pleads guilty (in the light of overwhelming evidence against him on the lesser accusations). He lied to his GF, most likely his wider family, and yet we're supposed to believe he's been a model of honesty with his club? nah.
 
Gaz said:
It does though. Do you really believe the club knew about whatsapp pics / kissing & whatever else and didn't act on it? Risked safeguarding issues and legal issues to protect johnson?

Or could it be they've manipulated things or lied about what the club did or didnt know. It goes on all the time, not sure why anyone is surprised

Club cant win no matter what they do
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Well considering the media are about to go for their throat over exactly this issue. They either deny it or look guilty sadly.
 
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