The English Premier League football club Sunderland have suspended the defender Phil Bardsley for his apparent mockery of his side’s defeat to Fulham on the opening day of the season.
The incident appears to surround a response from Bardsley to a picture, posted by teammate Scott Harrison on the social networking site Instagram, of the tunnel area at the end of Saturday’s 1-0 home loss.
Bardsley, via his account which has since been deleted, reportedly replied with the words “Great opening day. Hahahhahahahahahhaha!!!”, prompting a storm of protest from fans.
Bardsley, signed for £2 million (Dh11.5m) from Sheffield United in January 2008, is in the final year of his contract and seems to have played his last game for the club under the Italian manager Paolo Di Canio. It is the latest fall from grace for Bardsley, 28, under Di Canio.
Just a few days before Sunderland’s final game of the 2012/13 campaign, a Twitter picture appeared of Bardsley lying on the floor of a casino surrounded by £50 notes.
Bardsley played no part in the 1-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, and in a further sign of his becoming an outcast under Di Canio, he was not included in Sunderland’s Premier League squad list announced last week.
Bardsley broke his foot playing for the club’s Under 21 team last week, ending hopes of a move before the September 2 transfer-deadline day.
– Press Association
