The Liverpool supporter involved in the recent confrontation with Atletico Madrid’s manager Diego Simeone has a history of disciplinary issues, including a previous ban related to an incident at Steven Gerrard’s last home game.
Simeone was sent off during Tuesday’s match after approaching Liverpool fans and engaging in a heated argument following Virgil van Dijk’s winning header in Liverpool’s 3-2 victory. Security had to restrain him, and he now faces a possible suspension for his behavior. Simeone claimed he endured “insults” and offensive “gestures” throughout the game, with viral footage showing a fan’s reaction to Atletico’s celebration of their second goal.
In his post-match press conference, Simeone expressed frustration about the lack of opportunity to respond to provocations as a manager, saying, “We are in a place where we don’t have a right to reply or react, and it’s never good when managers react. But if we face insults, racism, or other abuse, it’s natural to feel anger or want to defend ourselves. When they scored the third goal, a fan turned and insulted me. I am human.”
Simeone called for the fan responsible to be identified and punished. However, the supporter, Jonny Poulter, responded with a one-minute video, labeling Simeone a “coward.” Poulter denied making any offensive remarks but accused a coach of spitting at him.
Poulter said, “I’ve had messages asking what was said, but I only told him, ‘Hey, hey, f*** off, we’ve won,’ which is typical. That’s what they did to us when they scored the equalizer—Simeone and his assistant provoking us in front of the fans, while they got called names back.”
This isn’t Poulter’s first run-in at Anfield. According to the Liverpool Echo, when he was 20, Poulter received a three-year stadium ban for abusing a disabled woman and her husband during Gerrard’s final home game against Crystal Palace in 2015.
During that match, David Higham asked Poulter to move a banner blocking his wife’s view after Gerrard was honored with a guard of honor. Poulter refused, and Higham later told the court he felt “threatened and intimidated.” Poulter, standing 6ft 4, said he felt threatened himself when Higham got too close and admitted telling him, “This is the Kop, this is our tradition, and if you don’t like it, you can f*** off.”
He reportedly also told the couple to “fing p off.” Poulter denied using abusive or threatening language meant to cause harassment or distress, but Judge Richard Clancy said any reasonable court would find him guilty of the offense.
Despite an apology and handshake at the following season’s first home game, Poulter was handed a three-year ban, fined £520, and ordered to pay £500 in prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Additionally, Poulter had previously been cautioned in 2013 for attempting to bring smoke pellets into Wigan Athletic’s stadium and served an eight-week curfew from 9:30pm to 6am.
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