BALL BOY-GATE: 'Morgan was wrong but he didn't deserve to be kicked'

6:00am Monday 28th January 2013 in Sport

THE County Ground’s current head ball boy Bradley Carter believes both Eden Hazard and Charlie Morgan should take equal blame for the scenes at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night.

Chelsea’s Belgian star Hazard has been charged by the FA after appearing to kick 17-year-old Morgan in a bid to get the ball back in the closing stages of their League Cup semi-final second leg clash with Swansea, earning him a red card in the process.

Town fan Carter, 16, has been in his role at the County Ground for the last three seasons, but will hang up his stool at the end of the current campaign due to the club’s policy not to have anyone over 16 working as a ball boy.

The youngster is responsible for any problems which occur with other ball boys during the game, and if the ball is ever kicked out of the ground it is his responsibility to leave the stadium and retrieve it.

The teenager was watching with interest on Wednesday night, and doesn’t believe either side deserves to take all of the blame.

“I thought the ball boy was in the wrong to start with because he should have just given it back, but then again I don’t think he deserved to be kicked by Hazard either,” he said. “You don’t know whether or not he was told to hang onto the ball or anything like that, but at Swindon we are just told to get the ball back as quickly as we can to both teams.

“We want to keep the game flowing, and that is the most important thing.

“During the last 10 minutes of games we are told to let the players go and get the ball themselves if they are close so that we don’t get in the way, especially if the matches are close.

“I think the ball boy the other night should have let Hazard get it himself because he was there, and if he had none of this should have happened.”

Carter also believes 17-year-old Morgan should not have even been allowed anywhere near the pitch for the game.

“What happens at Swindon at the moment is that when you hit 16 you can go to the end of that season and then you have to stop,” he said.

“I think that is the right thing to do, because you need to give a chance for the younger guys to come through and get a chance to do it because it is a great job to have.”

Comments(15)

ICDeadpeople says...
10:01am Mon 28 Jan 13

Don't forget Ritchie only got a yellow card against Poxford last season for blatantly kicking their ball boy.

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tylers8 says...
11:03am Mon 28 Jan 13

I wonder how long the ball boy would have stayed laying on the floor on top of the ball ? I dont believe he was kicked . Hazard kicked the ball , at the age of 17 he is hardly a ball boy, more like a ball bloke !

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mrclick says...
11:24am Mon 28 Jan 13

ICDeadpeople wrote:
Don't forget Ritchie only got a yellow card against Poxford last season for blatantly kicking their ball boy.
only he blatantly didn't kick him did he, he grabbed the ball off him and gave him a shove

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BigJim12 says...
11:44am Mon 28 Jan 13

Two wrongs dont make a right. But the ball 'bloke' deserved everything he got as he was cheating. Hazard clearly kicked the ball anyway - the ballboy obviously went to the Drogba school of exellence.

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Old-Stager, Hilperton says...
11:57am Mon 28 Jan 13

Hazard was entirely blameless as far as I'm concerned, and I thought that the referee Chris Foy was very wrong to bring out the red card, although you could see that Foy really enjoys his work.
My thoughts about the overgrown Ball Boy are unprintable for all Adver readers, and possibly Swansea City should be due for disciplinary action by the Football Authorities.

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BigJim12 says...
12:06pm Mon 28 Jan 13

completely agree - it should not have even been yellow card. Ball 'bloke' should be banned from the game.

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tylers8 says...
12:40pm Mon 28 Jan 13

BAN THE BALL BLOKE

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Last step says...
3:44pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Do me a favour. You can't kick a supporter, another player, an official or a ballboy.

And quite right too.

Ballboy obviously shouldn't have created the situation by timewasting, but that should (and still might) be dealt with seperately.

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BigJim12 says...
3:50pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Last step wrote:
Do me a favour. You can't kick a supporter, another player, an official or a ballboy. And quite right too. Ballboy obviously shouldn't have created the situation by timewasting, but that should (and still might) be dealt with seperately.
He kicked the ball - i thought that was allowed ?

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Pewsham Red says...
3:53pm Mon 28 Jan 13

Old-Stager, Hilperton wrote:
Hazard was entirely blameless as far as I'm concerned, and I thought that the referee Chris Foy was very wrong to bring out the red card, although you could see that Foy really enjoys his work. My thoughts about the overgrown Ball Boy are unprintable for all Adver readers, and possibly Swansea City should be due for disciplinary action by the Football Authorities.
Can't really disagree Old Stager.

Maybe Hazard shouldn't have got involved but he only did was most of us would have done, which has been supported by lots of pro's and ex-pros, who agree he had it coming.

Only seems to be the FA who have taken a particularly dim view, which is only to be expected after their crusading stance on the issues that matter, such as players taking their shirt off and celebrating goals.

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KojaktheWarg says...
6:57pm Mon 28 Jan 13

ICDeadpeople wrote:
Don't forget Ritchie only got a yellow card against Poxford last season for blatantly kicking their ball boy.
He didnt kick their ball-boy. So dont slander him.

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the wizard says...
7:19pm Mon 28 Jan 13

The ball person was guilty of many things as well as prior to the game admitting he was going to slow things up. Red card rescinded and ball Person banned from all grounds for life, for lieing, cheating, planning game disruption and bringing the game into disrepute. Hazards hearing should be more of an inquiry into the greater aspect of what actually did go on. Ball person now nominated for a Bafta. Did someone say his name is Richard ?

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alchafreds says...
8:07pm Mon 28 Jan 13

ball boy GATE y do we have to have gate after every title its pathetic

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Last step says...
8:10pm Mon 28 Jan 13

BigJim12 wrote:
Last step wrote:
Do me a favour. You can't kick a supporter, another player, an official or a ballboy. And quite right too. Ballboy obviously shouldn't have created the situation by timewasting, but that should (and still might) be dealt with seperately.
He kicked the ball - i thought that was allowed ?
Yeah, yeah.

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Oldhamred says...
12:49am Sat 2 Feb 13

C U N T

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