yes.....100%

absolutely unbelievable.

even you, for all your arguing and fighting the other corner can not possibly condone such a ridiculous choice.

i honestly despair at the world around me. the death of mankind will be the best thing to happen to this planet.

I personally didn't take part in the vote and as for it being classed as an iconic moment in sport.....I guess the FIRST time any event happens that is sensationalised by the press, it can then be viewed as being an iconic moment in sport - iconic means that it symbolises something - in this case - someone standing up against racialism - according to the press.

I have no detrimental comment to make about it as I am arguing the case for Eric Cantona

well i shall read between the lines and take from that exactly what i expected.

its disgusting. it really is. everybody who voted did so purely with rose tinted glasses. mindless idiots, ironically just like Cantona.

I can still clearly remember my feelings at the time it happened. As he was walking off the pitch after being sent off….. I was thinking…..Jeez Eric…..you shouldn’t have been sent off for that…..you were the victim of that dirty ‘b*stard’ Palace defender…and simply reacted with that typical Gallic (Di Canio like) temperament. As he trudged off and approached the touchline and then ran at the hording and kicked out at the Palace fan……my feelings of unfairness were taken over by….you firkin idiot Eric…..what have you done…..you will be hung, drawn and quartered for this one…...it is indefensible behaviour……similar feelings to Nani sent off against the Hammers…..and when Masch was sent off against Man Utd.

Manchester United quite rightly defended the case on the grounds of racism….and there is no doubt….the comments attributed to Simmons were of a racist nature. Some may argue that Simmons behaviour is what ‘being an opposition football fan’ is all about…..giving the opposing teams players and manager lots of verbal.

My own personal view…..I really and honestly do not believe that Eric Cantona is a thug. I do believe he stood up for himself and he paid a huge price for it. Di Canio, in my opinion, is similar to Cantona behaviour wise, he just didn’t go as far as Eric did in standing up to what he perceives as being injustice against him on the football pitch. Now Barton, on the other hand, is just an out and out thug…end of.

When it happened in France, I remember people wondering why steward let that kind of racist rant happen ? it's true Cantona has very long past of violence two footed tackles and stuff, fighting etc.
I actually thought Cantona did not hot the thug hard enough.
To call it an iconic moment is a not good idea IMO, it glorifies violence.

Its like Cantona is the only person ever to have somthing shouted from the crowd. It happens every game, yet he is one of very few who attacted a fan. Cantona is a thug....end of. Noone listens to whether barton was provoked and righty so. The same therefore should happen to Cantona.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jtlP1ZOpyME&feature=related

look at the old woman in the crowd who he nearly hit. No matter what was said, it was thugish behaviour.

in 1987 he was heavily fined for punching team mate Bruno Martini in the face

what about stamping on John Moncur's chest (very deliberately)?

In December 1991, during a match for Nîmes he threw the ball at the referee, having been angered by one of his decisions. He was summoned to a disciplinary hearing by the French Football Federation and was banned for one month. Cantona responded by walking up to each member of the hearing committee in turn and calling him an "idiot".

At Montpellier, he was involved in a fight with team-mate Jean-Claude Lemoult and threw his boots in Lemoult's face. The incident led to six players demanding that Cantona be sacked.

on his return to Elland Road to play Leeds he spat at a fan and was fined £1,000 by the FA

yeah this man really is a shining example of modern humanity.

dont make me laugh.

JJ and Steely - Let me ask you this.

Have you ever been provoked by someone and then reacted by punching or kicking?

If the answer is No.....I would find that hard to believe.

If the answer is Yes.....I would then ask....do you consider yourself to be either a thug or a criminal?

The answer is yes. I have infact had a fight on a footaball pitch in the past but the circumstances were different. I was only 15 at the time, i was not getting paid to represent the club, it was not live on TV and i was not a role model to millions of kids.

How many times has Cantona's behaviour been questioned? Was he provoked each time?

somebody who has been convicted of a crime is undoubtedly a criminal. he was originally given a prison sentence but because of who he was, this got reduced to community service.

do you think cantona is not a criminal then?

look at that list of shame. discuss that. the topic is on Cantona. not the actions of myself or Jack.

it seems that you and o dogg seem intent in 'defending' cantona only by bringing others into an argument... a sure sign of desperation and lack of ideas.

we are not talking about di canio, me, jack, shearer, keith curle or rolf harris. we are only discussing Eric Cantona.

i have clearly listed 5 seperate incidents, obviously not including the infamous fan attack, so that makes 6 completely seperate acts of thuggish behaviour. was he really the victim in all of these incidents? is it nothing more than coincidence? was he always provoked?

you are extremely naive, bias, blinded, stupid or just arguing for the sake of arguing if you genuinely think that.

Is Eric Cantona a violent person? the answer is an emphatic yes.

definitions for the term 'Thug'...

thug - noun

a violent, brutal person

thug

noun
an aggressive and violent young criminal

id say that sums him up quite perfectly wouldnt you?

You just put your finger on the key point I am making......Yes....it's down to circumstances......and everyone has different circumstances.......Barton's behaviour was, beyond question, nothing but thuggery and criminal violence. People have a right to defend themselves.....Barton was continuing to punch an unconscious guy on the floor......thuggery. Cantona was reacting to misjustice.

I will ask you again....

How many times has Cantona's behaviour been questioned? Was he provoked each time?

JJ…..Steely….get a grip guys.

With regard to the list……it’s pathetic…..how many players spit, raise their hands, elbows, kick, throw balls at other players, push over managers like Avram, push over refs, kick at boots on the floor in the changing room…..it happens week in week out in football….and it is all handbags at 10 paces.

How many times does another player beat the sh*t out of an unconscious player laying on the floor, or do the same thing to some down on the floor drunk shortly after being arrested for the first offence. I can only think of Bowyer of West Ham doing something similar.

Regardless of JJ trying to argue that the famous Kung-Fu kick and Joey Bartons behaviour are the same, this clearly isn’t the case…..everyone has different circumstances and you can not tar everyone with the same brush.

You didn’t answer my question Steely because I know that YOU have probably been provoked yourself into either punching or kicking someone….and I bet, not even for one second, do you consider yourself to be a thug or criminal.

When have i ever said that what Cantona did was the same as what Barton has done. If you care to read my past comments i have stated that they are not on the same level.

You are very close to saying as much in my opinion.

Roonialdo, yes or no do you think Cantona was right to kick out?

Steely - Yes....Cantona has a criminal record but he does not engage in criminal activities and therefore can't be considered a criminal in the true sense of the word.

Paddy - Yes and No.

No, but only because his actions brought shame on my football club, as well as himself, and it cost us the league title.

Yes, because foul mouthed aggressive cretins like Simmons and his type should not be allowed to get away with that type of behaviour at a football match. Simmons was prosecuted for his actions and at his trial also carried out a kung-fu style kick at the convicting jurors. Eric Cantona, through his heroic actions, ensured Simmons was brought to account for his unacceptable behaviour.

OK I've become accustomed to your bias and I can sort of see where your coming from but calling Cantona a hero for doing it is going way too far.