Marlon King.

Would you want him at your club?

Do you believe he is that good that morals go out of the window in the quest for immediate promotion?

Would you walk out of the club that gave you a route back into football when the majority of other clubs wanted nothing to do with a serial offender and woman beater?

I assume you're a Coventry fan then?

I'm not sure many fans will want him at their club, I can't see him getting embraced by the fans anywhere to be honest.

No Liverpool fan Leak.

Ahhh, you just don't like Marlon King then.

I wouldn't ever want him at Liverpool, even if he was a very good player. We say how much we don't like guys like Adebayor and C. Ronaldo, but in the end Marlon King is a genuine scumbag.

He's shown that he doesn't care about anything other than himself both inside and outside of football, and the way he has turned his back on Coventry after they saved his career is disgusting. I hope that he fails at Birmingham.

invincibleILeak (CL-6WF) wrote:Ahhh, you just don't like Marlon King then.

I wouldn't ever want him at Liverpool, even if he was a very good player. We say how much we don't like guys like Adebayor and C. Ronaldo, but in the end Marlon King is a genuine scumbag.

He's shown that he doesn't care about anything other than himself both inside and outside of football, and the way he has turned his back on Coventry after they saved his career is disgusting. I hope that he fails at Birmingham.

Couldn't agree more Leak. Spot on.

If you deal with scum then you deserved to be screwed.

Can see the appeal of moving from Coventry to Birmingham though, but the guys a naughty naughty boy.

Coventry didn't take a chance on him - Aidy Boothroyd did. Just as he did at Watford. Marlon King's loyalties are to Aidy Boothroyd, he's always played his best football under him. But Coventry showed no loyalty to Boothroyd, so can expect none in return from his allies.

If I supported a Premiership team then I would say I wouldn't want someone like him at my club. But in turn Premiership fans forget the dire finances of most Football League clubs - and promotion is worth £90m! So if a player who can score you 20+ goals is available on the cheap because of his past indiscretions, then its a no brainer.

Just in addition,

I am in no way condoning his actions (obviously). I had a Watford shirt with King on the back, and cut it up when he got sent down.

Not that I could possibly wear it and survive a kickabout without becoming a replacement for the ball ever again. LOL

I've no sympathy with Coventry, they shouldn't have touched him in the first place IMO, I understand what ED is saying about how much promotion is worth but I'm not a fan of that win at all costs attitude, I believe you have to maintain the dignity of your Club and fans and signing a guy like that undermines that, so no sympathy from me

As a Cardiff fan his name was mentioned for a while, I would have been disgusted if we had signed him. If he does end up in Cardiff it would seriously test my (short-term) loyalties to the club.

Its not a case of win at any cost for at least half of the Championship anymore though Gaff. That's not my point. Unfortunately Its "survive" at any cost for a lot of clubs. Each league position brings in more money. A playoff position brings a very nice payoff. And promotion can be a club saver. And I would rather have someone like King at my club, than see it go bust because they are paying someone double for half as many goals.

I think most clubs would love the luxury of being able to tread the morality line when it comes to signing players - but outside of the Premiership, that luxury is a dreamland.

Nah ED I don't buy it at all, What about the female fans of clubs who have followed their clubs through thick and thin, no doubt some of them have been subjected to physical abuse, what about them having him turn out for their team? Its not about morality, its about decency and dignity, if a club are so deep in the crapper they need to rely on Marlon King then the problems are more deep routed

The problems ARE more deep rooted.

The Premier League turned football from a sport into a cutthroat business, yet its the Football League that seems to be paying the price. Championship clubs are charging ridiculously overpriced ticket prices for the standard of football on offer, but still can't cover their costs. And its all because the Premier League has set such a stupid precedent, and heirachy of players wages, that you have to get a woman beater or someone who killed children in a drunken car crash on the cheap to be able to compete with the relegated Premier teams and their ridiculous parachute payments that do all they can to turn the Top 20 into a closed shop.

I totally agree about the damage 'the Greatest League in the World' has done to British Football in general but that doesn't change my stance that guys like Marlon King should be blackballed from the game, I doubt it would be rewarding anyway, what you make in gaining a couple of League places you lose in Sponsorship ect... as companies don't want to be associated with him, also we're not talking about an Alan Shearer here, we're talking about a guy who had one good season about 4 years ago and even then I think most of his goals where from dead balls

I can absolutely see where you are coming from. Particularly your point on the female fans - I hadn't really thought about that. It's a really difficult subject. But I don't agree with banning people from their job because of something they've done in their personal life - no matter how hight profile. He was punished by the UK justic system, and he served that punishment.

And I don't agree about him being a one season player. He's a fantastic player. Strong. Great touch. Reminds me of Defoe with regards his ability to create a goal for himself by getting it out of his feet. When he was at Watford, he impressed not just in the Championship, but in the Premier League in the handful of games he played. Unfortunately he was injured for most of the season.

Poor attitude though. He needs the right manager.

I don't agree that he should be allowed to get on with his job just because he was punished, it's not like a real job where you can blend into society, hes a high profile public figure and thats why IMO opinion he should be blackballed, Gary Glitter was punished by the UK Justice system but despite that he got blackballed from record labels/radio & TV Stations in the name of public decency

What does black balled mean?

Ignored/rejected

Ah - so not banned. I'm thinking of black listed.

To clarify, I don't think they should be banned from doing their job. But I have no issue with clubs choosing not to employ him because of his past charges. It's the club's decision whether they are willing to risk their reputation on a wildcard I suppose.

Its the same as any employer - they can choose not to emply someone due to their past - that's their decision.

Personally, as a fan, if he worked hard and actually reformed as a character then I would give him a chance. But I'm willing to accept that a lot of people wouldnt.

I don't mean officially blackballed to be fair, I'm sure that would breach his good old human rights, do you think your opinion on him would be the same if he wasn't someone you had that emotional investment in from his days at Watford

Don't get me wrong. I don't have any fondness for King at all. He is a total moron.

I'm just judging him on what I saw him play like for the few years he was at Watford. And he was very consistent. I think he would be an asset to any championship club - at a pure footballing level.

And I do believe that once you've done the time, you should be able to live your life and be given the chance to reform.

Except Peados - who should be sterilised, castrated and forcibly bum-raped by something the size of a post box every first Thursday of the month.

Every Thursday of the month, is that it Demon?

ED I normally would agree but when that job makes them a public figure I just can't, what about Luke McCormack, would you back him getting back into the game after he killed those two kids?

Electric Demon wrote:
And I do believe that once you've done the time, you should be able to live your life and be given the chance to reform.

How many chances does he warrant? Have you seen his rap sheet? I think he left the last chance saloon about half a dozen convictions ago.

i am a blues fan, i was so disapointed that we signed him, i have never really like him, i also work in a casino in scarborough which he may have had issues with a fellow player and he accused my manager of stealing his watch, which was in his pocket, the sooner he leaves the better.

Do you think his signing was the reason McLeish walked out the blue?

I'll never understand those who trot out lines like, "he's done his time let's move on", when any right thinking person knows that a few months, even a couple of years inside for murdering people with dangerous driving or people who have multiple convictions ranging from handling stolen goods through various assaults to sexual assaults, is not justice in any sense of the word.

Yes, the main problem is with a bloody awful criminal justice system that seems to think that scum have more rights than victims and judges who seem to believe the pitiful sentences they dish out are even remotely fair or right, but none of that means that the average man should accept it when a football club that you've loved your whole life is linked with these sort of 'people', stand up and tell your clubs board what they need to hear, this kind of player is NOT welcome at MY club.

ReallyReal wrote:I'll never understand those who trot out lines like, "he's done his time let's move on", when any right thinking person knows that a few months, even a couple of years inside for murdering people with dangerous driving or people who have multiple convictions ranging from handling stolen goods through various assaults to sexual assaults, is not justice in any sense of the word.

Yes, the main problem is with a bloody awful criminal justice system that seems to think that scum have more rights than victims and judges who seem to believe the pitiful sentences they dish out are even remotely fair or right, but none of that means that the average man should accept it when a football club that you've loved your whole life is linked with these sort of 'people', stand up and tell your clubs board what they need to hear, this kind of player is NOT welcome at MY club.

Best piece I have read in yonks. Couldn't agree more. Marlon King has a record longer than Southed pier and if anything deserves a needle. The fans are what make a club and if the fans as a whole don't want a player donning their shirt then that should be that. And as for the justice system in this country? well....

Top post RR, Totally agree, just because one man (a judge) determines the punishment, does not mean the average man on the street should accept this guy

Utter scum bag, the way he has treated his club that gave him a chance when he came out of ail has been a disgrace.