Kettering Race In Court

Last updated : 07 July 2009 By Gary Hutchinson

November last year brought about an FA Cup tie that on paper looked like a cracker, but on the day turned out to be a terrible day for all concerned. First of all City were appalling on the pitch, but the race allegations and subsequent argument between the two clubs overshadowed both the game, and Ketterings replay win.

43 Year Old Nicolino Provenzano appeared yesterday in Northampton Crown Court charged with racially aggravated public order offences.

Assistant manager Iffy Onuora has described the "offensive and dehumanising" monkey chants he says he suffered at the hands of a rival football fan.

Provenzano is accused of making monkey noises at Peter Jackson just before the game exploded into life on the pitch with 2 goals in as many minutes.

Provenzano of Regent Street, Kettering, was charged with a racially aggravated public order in January this year, but pleaded not guilty, claiming he had not been making monkey gestures, but was responding to comments from the bench that he was fat.

In his statement he used the classic defence of "I would never make monkey noises because I am not a racist. Some of my best friends are black."

During his evidence, Iffy told the court he glanced at an elderly man who was swearing at the bench when he saw the defendant making monkey gestures at him. He said: "It was dehumanizing, belittling and deeply offensive."

Also giving evidence, Jackop said he saw the monkey gestures and felt they were "completely out of order."

His claims were supported by Imps kit man Matt Carmichael, and crucially a Kettering Town fan Alan Thompson.

Mr Jackson said he reported the incident to an official on the day but it wasn't relayed to Kettering FC. The Poppies allegedly only became aware of it when Mr Thompson, who had read about it in the local paper phoned the club to say he had witnessed the abuse.

Mr Thompson told the court the gestures couldn't have been anything other than monkey gestures and were directed at Mr Onuora.

He said: "I was incensed. There is no need for that sort of thing in this day and age."

Provenzano denies the charge and the trial continues.

The days after saw Kettering continually deny that any such event had occured, and Ketetring chairman Imran Ladaak even released a statement that almost accused Jacko and Onuora of lying. The statement was quickly retracted but the ripples from the controversy continue to surface. The animosity between Kettering and Lincoln continues.