It seems the Daily Telegraph’s match report for the Tyne-Wear derby on Sunday afternoon got a little out of hand.
After being on the receiving end of a tirade of abuse from Newcastle fans throughout the match, for reasons we think you can ascertain, Adam Johnson reacted by scoring then running the entire length of the pitch to celebrate in front of his detractors…an Adebayor of you will.
Perhaps catching wind of the outlandish claims spouted by others on social media, the paper believed his ‘winged’ celebration to be a direct reference to the Newcastle fans involved in the Malaysia Airlines plane that was shot down over Ukraine last year.
Their match report for the Black Cats’ 3-0 victory (that’s been hastily removed ) read;
Some claimed the former England international was making a spiteful and provocative reference to the two Newcastle supporters who died when a Malaysia Airlines Flight was shot down over Ukraine last year.
Johnson should apologise for any offence caused, even if was not intended as it was perceived.
Well, it seems some dramatic backtracking has been had.
The match report now reads;
Adam Johnson – an apology
In an earlier version of this report, we included the accusation that Adam Johnson had goaded Newcastle’s supporters with an aeroplane celebration after he scored his goal, which we suggested was a reference to the two Newcastle supporters who died when on the crashed Malaysia Airlines flight over Ukraine, last year.
We now accept that there was absolutely nothing in the goal celebration which could be sensibly taken to have been a reference to these tragic deaths.
We apologise unreservedly to Mr Johnson and have agreed to pay a sum of damages to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.
Credit for the genuine apology, but still, jeeeez.