Birmingham chairman David Gold has slammed
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas' verbal attack on defender Martin
Taylor.
Taylor has completed his three-match ban after being sent
off against the Gunners three and a half weeks ago for the
challenge which saw Eduardo suffer a broken leg.
Fabregas has claimed it is unfair Taylor can return so soon
after missing the games with Tottenham, Portsmouth and Newcastle,
while Eduardo will be sidelined for a year.
But Gold believes the Spaniard's comments are out of order and
is concerned Taylor will be haunted by the incident for the
remainder of his career.
He said: "Fabregas has got this wrong and I will stand by Martin
through thick and thin over this. It may be his opinion but I would
ask him to listen to the majority of voices who have been in the
main supportive of Taylor.
"It wasn't a malicious tackle, Martin is incapable of such
vengeance. Look at the body language.
"Why is Fabregas still talking about this three weeks after the
event? I don't deny that Martin has to take responsibility but he
(Fabregas) is talking about there being intent.
"Is he saying he thinks Martin went into the tackle to
deliberately hurt Eduardo? If he is then it's outrageous and it
does the player, his football club and football no favours at
all.
"This could have happened to anybody and let's hope Fabregas is
not involved in something similar one day where he accidentally
injures a player.
"It's time to get off Martin's back and that includes Fabregas
and people like Sepp Blatter. They don't know Martin Taylor. I do
and I know it was an out-and-out accident with absolutely no
meanness of spirit - but he is being demonised.
"This is an ill-informed judgment by Fabregas and it does not
stand up because it is 'guess-timation' on his part."
Gold added: "Martin is a professional and will get on with his
game, but I fear he will suffer because of this. The incident will
stay with him for the rest of his days because he is not the person
that Fabregas has portrayed him to be.
"If he was, he would get over it because dirty players do, but
Martin is a man of conscience."
