Only himself to blame… he will learn from it – John Askey on Tom Pope suspension
Manager John Askey says that Tom Pope “has only himself to blame really” after the striker was suspended for a second time this season for comments made on Twitter.
The forward received a one match ban this week and could yet face further sanctions for other remarks made on the social media network.
I think he realises and he will just get back to playing football once this is over with…
However, Askey has defended Pope’s professionalism and says the veteran forward will learn from the incidents.
Askey told the Sentinel newspaper: “He has only himself to blame really. I have no sympathy because we have been telling him not to go on social media but hopefully he will learn from it.
“I think now he realises what he has done but he has to move on now because with Tom he doesn’t mean any harm by anything he does. But it does affect the football club.
“I am just disappointed that he doesn’t take heed but I am sure now, I think he realises and he will just get back to playing football once this is over with.”
“It is difficult for the club to police because it is outside the club. It looks as though there is no discipline, but I can assure you when Tom trains he trains properly and when he plays he plays and gives everything that he’s got. That’s what you want as a manager. It is just disappointing when these things affect who you can pick and who you can’t.
“It paints him in a bad light. He does a lot, going into schools and doing presentations and all those sort of things. He spends a lot of time doing things outside the football club.
Twitter trouble
22 November: Pope is banned for one match and fined £2,600 for Twitter remarks
6 January: The FA investigate an alleged anti-Semitic tweet by Pope
22 January: Pope receives a further one match ban and fined £1,500 for Twitter remarks