Lawrence and Bennett Convicted of drink driving

[AdamRam]

7 minutes ago, Curtains said:

So we learn and move on. 

I wouldn’t argue with you there, but if your chairman is going to issue comments like he did, then it’s is going to raise discussion’s.

[angieram]

There was a really good interview with a solicitor on Radio Derby's Sally Pepper show this morning, explaining the options the court had available to them yesterday. Anyone who thinks the court was being lenient ought to listen to it.

It was on about 9.20 a.m. so I imagine about 20 minutes into the broadcast. You can find it here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/radioderby 

Given that the club also stated that they had imposed the maximum punishment allowable under the players' contracts, I am not sure where the accusations of leniency come from.

The solicitor did state that if you want to change the law, lobby your politicians.

I personally think the community service will be humiliating for the two guys who are used to public adulation and a much better punishment than fines. Money is cheap for these young men, but pride and their time is not. That and the awareness course they will be going on will all be more suitable punishments for me.

I appear to be in a minority on here but I am satisfied with the way the incident has been dealt with, and want to support the two lads to get back out there and start paying back by doing their jobs and rebuilding trust with the fans.

[minesahartington]

54 minutes ago, Gaspode said:

I used to like Talksport, but it's no more than click-bait nowadays - presenter says/tweets something stupid purely in order to generate responses. There are hardly any reasoned discussions as they just want people to rant.....

Agreed. Not the same since Parry left his morning slot

[Comrade 86]

Can't wait til the footy is back on. A decent win against Charlton and push on from there please. I think many would just like to put this rather sorry episode behind them now and the best way to do that would be a sustained charge up the table. 

The player's behaviour was shocking, there's no disputing that, but these endless recriminations now serve no further purpose. The club and the courts have handed down their respective sanctions and whether folk like it or not, that is the end of the matter. Should either player fall down again then I'd happily see the back of them but at this point I'd rather see a positive reaction than spend more weeks fuming in my armchair.

FWIW, folks who are still angry are perfectly within their rights to continue to express that anger, but the best means to do that would be to boycott games should they feel strongly enough to do so. 

[ThePrisoner]

32 minutes ago, Spanish said:

The joiners was not part of the event it was non club related

Cocu said the meal/drinks were part of the days proceedings. Definitely club related. 

[Spanish]

Just now, ThePrisoner said:

Cocu said the meal/drinks were part of the days proceedings. Definitely club related. 

eh?

Cocu said the joiners 8 was part of the days proceedings?  Never seen that

[Steve How Hard?]

17 minutes ago, AdamRam said:

Of course, but then to say DD is a culture amongst football players, is it a bit naive to expect them to do this ? 

I think lessons have been learnt from all sides after what happened that night. It's fair to say that it's highly unlikely we'll see a repeat any time soon now that the trust given to the players has been broken. Yes with hindsight there was possibly a bit of naivety on the clubs part but ultimately the blame lies fully at the door of those that made the choices they did on that night.

[Anon]

1 hour ago, Srg said:

Firstly, the squad went bowling, secondly, I don't know if you've been to the Joiners but it's very much a restaurant first and a pub second. Where do you want them to eat then, McDonalds?

They have to be taken to a soft play area and each must be individually supervised by a responsible adult at all times. If the club are to be held responsible for the actions of individuals, then we may as well go the whole way and treat them like toddlers. Maybe we can put some Ritalin in their bottles too. We don't want them getting over stimulated.

[ThePrisoner]

4 minutes ago, Spanish said:

eh?

Cocu said the joiners 8 was part of the days proceedings?  Never seen that

They all went to the Joiners for food. The others stayed on after. 

[Spanish]

28 minutes ago, ThePrisoner said:

They all went to the Joiners for food. The others stayed on after. 

i have read previously that the event ended at the hollywood bowl where cars were laid on and most left.  So the cars took them to Joiners where they all had dinner?

[DarkFruitsRam7]

37 minutes ago, Spanish said:

eh?

Cocu said the joiners 8 was part of the days proceedings?  Never seen that

 

2 minutes ago, Spanish said:

i have read previously that the event ended at the hollywood bowl where cars were laid on and most left.  So the cars took them to Joiners where they all had dinner?

Cocu said that they organised a team bonding meal. He wasn’t present because he thinks it’s important for the players to spend time together away from the key staff.

[Mucker1884]

55 minutes ago, 86 Schmokes & a Pancake said:

Can't wait til the footy is back on. A decent win against Charlton and push on from there please. I think many would just like to put this rather sorry episode behind them now and the best way to do that would be a sustained charge up the table. 

The player's behaviour was shocking, there's no disputing that, but these endless recriminations now serve no further purpose. The club and the courts have handed down their respective sanctions and whether folk like it or not, that is the end of the matter. Should either player fall down again then I'd happily see the back of them but at this point I'd rather see a positive reaction than spend more weeks fuming in my armchair.

FWIW, folks who are still angry are perfectly within their rights to continue to express that anger, but the best means to do that would be to boycott games should they feel strongly enough to do so. 

We may have had a bit of a personal tit-for-tat the other week, and I may have been airing my anger and disappointment with both individuals and club hierarchy in the immediate aftermath of this whole sorry mess, but I have to say, the post above perfectly echos my own thoughts right now... today... those few short weeks since I felt like dis-owning DCFC!   I was going to highlight the best bits... then realised I agree with every sentence!

It's done with, for me.  Time to move on.  Bring on the footy!

[Comrade 86]

18 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

We may have had a bit of a personal tit-for-tat the other week, and I may have been airing my anger and disappointment with both individuals and club hierarchy in the immediate aftermath of this whole sorry mess, but I have to say, the post above perfectly echos my own thoughts right now... today... those few short weeks since I felt like dis-owning DCFC!   I was going to highlight the best bits... then realised I agree with every sentence!

It's done with, for me.  Time to move on.  Bring on the footy!

It's been a really divisive issue and I'm not overly proud of my part in our exchange as you know! Hopefully the focus will shift quickly now and the players will give us some winter cheer. I think we're owed! 

[ilkleyram]

3 hours ago, angieram said:

There was a really good interview with a solicitor on Radio Derby's Sally Pepper show this morning, explaining the options the court had available to them yesterday. Anyone who thinks the court was being lenient ought to listen to it.

It was on about 9.20 a.m. so I imagine about 20 minutes into the broadcast. You can find it here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/radioderby 

Given that the club also stated that they had imposed the maximum punishment allowable under the players' contracts, I am not sure where the accusations of leniency come from.

The solicitor did state that if you want to change the law, lobby your politicians.

I personally think the community service will be humiliating for the two guys who are used to public adulation and a much better punishment than fines. Money is cheap for these young men, but pride and their time is not. That and the awareness course they will be going on will all be more suitable punishments for me.

I appear to be in a minority on here but I am satisfied with the way the incident has been dealt with, and want to support the two lads to get back out there and start paying back by doing their jobs and rebuilding trust with the fans.

Thank you @Angieram I don't think you are in a minority or should be. 

It's good to know that someone in Radio Derby's production team has a sense of humour - the record played before the relevant bit was Band on the Run by Wings.

 

[Premier ram]

its getting boring now , the whole they did this , did that , should of got this punishment , should of got that , lets get back to supporting the team on Saturday and if it includes Bennett ,and Lawrence then so be it , punishments have been served lets move on , the match on Saturday will be a welcome distraction , 3pts should brighten the mood COYR

[cosmic]

5 hours ago, Srg said:

Firstly, the squad went bowling, secondly, I don't know if you've been to the Joiners but it's very much a restaurant first and a pub second. Where do you want them to eat then, McDonalds?

Bring back the Mac!

[Gringo]

41 minutes ago, Premier ram said:

its getting boring now , the whole they did this , did that , should of got this punishment , should of got that , lets get back to supporting the team on Saturday and if it includes Bennett ,and Lawrence then so be it , punishments have been served lets move on , the match on Saturday will be a welcome distraction , 3pts should brighten the mood COYR

I agree let's move on, this whole thread has turned into a "Who can be the most sanctimonious" competition and it is really boring.

[jono]

8 hours ago, GboroRam said:

Everything I wrote is my personal view. I know that the court has made its decision, and that's final. But the club has other options available to it for reinforcing the message that personal conduct for players will be held to a higher standard than the man in the street. I'm fine with that, but that's at the club's discretion. 

Like I say, I hope the club find some very hard-hitting community work that will truly help these young men understand the gravity of their actions. Give something back to the community at the same time, it's a win-win. But they have to walk away from their situation feeling some consequence for their choices. 

Right now there's a chance they are walking out from court feeling relieved, maybe happy that they have avoided serious consequences. I don't want them happy right now - I want them vowing to never repeat this, or any other reckless decision. They are very privileged to play for this team, and that needs to be first and foremost in their minds. 

However you are right, we need to move on. They've been dealt with by the courts, the club has made a decision how they want to handle it and I think the pair of them are lucky that they didn't get penalised more.

There’s nothing wrong with differing opinions on how one might handle a tricky situation like this. I don’t think there is a perfect right and wrong way. 

I get your point about suspending them from 1st team action but I kind of feel that making them play will be excellent punishment

they will get abuse from opposing fans, and a less then enthusiastic response from us .. they are being shamed in public. In a sense I think being in the first team (if selected) for them will be like being in the stocks, shamed in public view, not hidden away till it had all blown over ...... and it’s likely to go on for some time. 

On a lighter note my sister in law was a school attendance officer in a less than salubrious part of Luton. She also ran an under 11’s kids football team drawing heavily from her school. If you were seen outside the heads office you got dropped from the team. The kids couldn’t give a toss about the head’s sanctions, it was that kind of place, but out of the team???  She would stifle a smile as as she walked the corridor and watched the miscreants trying to hide behind their mates so as to not be seen. 

[jono]

19 hours ago, Anon said:

If the phrase "personally I won't be treating them any differently" sounds bitter in your world, then yes I'm extremely bitter.

People are allowed to move on from mistakes. I'd say there's a significant difference between being allowed to move on and being totally immune from criticism less than a month after making said mistake.

My relationship with my mother is irrelevant. Personally I don't see why losing a parent should hold any weight as a mitigating factor in Lawrence's defence.

Why would I need to forgive anyone else? No one else committed a crime.

I don’t know how close you are or were to your parents, or indeed if you have lost them.

I know that my mind was pretty scrambled for at least 6 months and probably 2 years after my mother died. Oh I functioned in an everyday sense but there was a load of mental poo going on under the cover. I was at the time a 50 something man living a relatively secure and happy existence; with friends and a partner who were supportive and had some empathy. I cannot imagine what I would have been like at 25 in a sporty jock environment. .. 

i don’t for a second condone the recklessness of both the lads but honestly Lawrence gets a bit of extra slack from me. I’ve been there, it’s not nice and you don’t always act sensibly in the moment. 

[Comrade 86]

My old dear underwent a routine biopsy at St Tommy's in Lambeth. She was fine the next day, if somewhat feisty what with being deprived of her fags and booze. 24 hours later I got a call from the hospital to say she'd fallen ill and had been moved to the ICU. Turns out she'd caught pneumonia and septicemia (MRSA) on the ward. She never recovered consciousness and I spent her last 72 hours alive watching her life signs ebb away as black sludge pissed out of her nose. It was duckin grim and I still react badly when I think about her now. She was only 53 at the time.

To say I went off the rails would be a massive understatement. I was full-on dangerous and not for a short while either. Recklessness bordering on a death wish is not an unusual reaction to the death of loved ones I came to understand and as such, I've a deal of sympathy where Tom is concerned if as seems to be the case, he is struggling with his head. It doesn't excuse what he and Mason did but to my mind it makes it rather more comprehensible, in Tom's case at least. I'd also venture that climbing all over the lad now ain't really gonna help much though I understand why folk are angered by the idiocy of what went on. All I'd say to those folks is just consider how he might be feeling and if you can, be prepared to give him (and even Mason) a chance to redeem himself because IMHO, stuff is not always as black and white as we all tend to assume.