• Premier League

Palace to eject United fans wearing Cantona masks

ESPN staff
February 22, 2014
A Manchester United fan wearing an Eric Cantona mask during a match against Liverpool in 2009 © Getty Images
Enlarge

Manchester United fans wearing Eric Cantona masks will reportedly be barred from entering Selhurst Park for Saturday's match against Crystal Palace.

When Cantona went kung fu fighting

Eric Cantona was banned from football for eight months for kicking a Crystal Palace fan © PA Photos
  • As Eric Cantona's infamous kung fu kick approaches its 20th anniversary, ESPN's Nick Atkin talks to the people who were there about what actually happened.
  • Click here to read more

United supporters are planning to pay tribute to Cantona, who was banned for eight months and fined £20,000 for his infamous kung fu kick on a Palace fan in January 1995.

Palace fans have reacted angrily to the plan, with some saying it is in poor taste due to the death of 35-year-old supporter Paul Nixon three months later. Nixon was involved in an outbreak of violence with United supporters at a pub near Villa Park, where the two clubs were contesting an FA Cup semi-final.

According to the Daily Mail, officials will also tell any United fans who try to put on masks during the game to remove them or be kicked out of the stadium.

The club have decided to make the move due to the fact that fans' faces would not be identifiable on CCTV cameras if they are wearing the novelty masks.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices