It's 20 years on Sunday since one of the most famous moments in Premier League history, when Matthew Symonds gently mocked Eric Cantona about his upcoming early bath (that was the gist of Symonds message to Cantona, or so he told the Sun - others remember it differently) and Eric decided to exact some retribution in response to this mocking.
On Thursday night at 7.30, BBC Radio 5 aired a documentary about the kick and the aftermath. Cantona was eventually sentenced to two weeks in jail for the assault, though this was reduced to 120 hours of community service on appeal.
In his brief stay down in the cells, Cantona was at his most supernaturally nonchalant. United's security officer Ned Kelly accompanied him down to the cells.
We proceeded into the cell, we were just sitting down together when the police warden came in and said: ’Don’t take any food from here, I’ll go down the road and get you some McDonald’s and chips.'
So Cantona spent his night in the cells scoffing McDonalds and trying to convince the United officials to forget about appealing. He seemed almost content with the idea of a fortnight in prison.
We’re eating away and having a chat about it, and he said, ’I just can’t be bothered with all of this, I’ll just serve my sentence.’
I said to him, ’No way, let’s wait until (United director) Maurice (Watkins) gets back and let’s see what the outcome is.’
He was relaxed, signed autographs for the people, took a couple of photos when he was in there. He was just so cool about it.
[Examiner]
