Express & Star

Paul Lambert defends Wolves fans and dismisses Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez's call for FA action

Wolves boss Paul Lambert has dismissed Rafa Benitez's call for an FA investigation into Wolves fans for songs they directed at Jonjo Shelvey.

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Benitez said supporters

and that the FA should look into what was chanted at the Newcastle midfielder.

The Spaniard suggested the FA could 'control' what fans say. Shelvey was banned for five matches and fined £100,000 after being found guilty of racially abusing Wolves's Moroccan midfielder Romain Saiss in September.

Lambert brushed off Benitez's comments, saying: "Does the FA need to look into what the Wolves fans sang? Not at all. There's nothing in that whatsoever.

"I won't let anybody criticise our support.

"I thought the Wolves fans were brilliant. I never heard any derogatory songs or racism songs or anything.

"I never heard a thing. But I'll sit here and defend the Wolves fans because I didn't hear anything - and that's me being totally honest.

"I come from a part of the world in Glasgow where there's a Celtic/Rangers divide. I don't get caught up in it."

Lambert wasn't in charge when the original incident happened.

But an FA hearing ruled that Shelvey had racially abused Saiss, after evidence was given by Matt Doherty, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson and Dominic Iorfa.

Newcastle United boss Rafa Benitez reiterated his stance on the treatment of Shelvey by Wolves fans during his Norwich pre-match press conference today.

Lambert added: "Our country never tolerates any sort of racism, it doesn't matter whether it's religion or whatever.

"This was before my time and the FA documented what was said, it was there.

"I don't know the ins and outs of it. But our country never tolerates racism and rightly so.

"I'll stick up for the Wolves fans here.

"I don't know what the lad (Shelvey) was expecting. He's a good footballer. It was a game of football."

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