Stoke City Denounces ‘Tragedy Chants’ Aimed at Tyrese Campbell

Stoke City has condemned “sickening and unacceptable” tragedy chants that occurred during Saturday’s Championship match against Sheffield United. This game saw Tyrese Campbell score his first goal for Sheffield United against his former club. The chants, reportedly from “a small minority” of Stoke supporters, were understood to be aimed at Tyrese Campbell, a former striker for the Potters. Campbell’s father, Kevin, who was a former Arsenal and Everton striker, passed away in June. The 24-year-old Campbell scored in United’s 2-0 win at Bramall Lane, marking his first goal since his departure from Stoke, where he had netted 36 goals in 164 appearances. In a statement, Stoke affirmed: “The club has a zero-tolerance approach to tragedy chanting and strongly condemns the abhorrent actions of the individuals involved.” The statement further indicated: “Any evidence brought to the attention of the club that implicates individuals in such behaviour will be acted upon without hesitation and the police will also be informed.” It also stated: “The club will continue to work with fellow clubs, police forces and all relevant authorities to identify perpetrators of illegal actions and to ensure that matchdays are safe, welcoming and enjoyable for all.” This incident follows an earlier event this year where two Stoke City fans received three-year bans from all grounds in England and Wales. Their ban was for mocking the deaths of two Leeds United fans who died in Turkey in 2000, an act that occurred during a game at Elland Road last season.