Knowing the facts may or may not make this easier, it would certainly have some bearing on the amount of leaway certain sections of our support would be prepared to allow him.

As has been said above, we are totally unaware of the circumstances. An unprovoked attack on an innocent individual is a lot different to fighting your way out of a corner, even if the court’s decision is the same.

On a similar note though, I refuse to see Notts County and any other club associated with Lee Hughes though as he killed someone and deliberately tried to get away with it. If City signed someone like him, I would never ever set foot in Valley parade ever again and I mean that and I would change my support to probably Town, I even refuse to see those said clubs visiting Valley Parade, there is a big gap with a minor offense and being a killer and driving off in the middle of the night hoping not to get caught leaving someone for dead.

As this is only a minor offence for Speight and there might be a case of provocation, who knows, and who really cares, in all honesty, it has happened and life goes on for everyone concerned.

Also I can not understand the hypocrisy with people saying he has lied to City to get the job, have those said people never ever lied on a CV or omitted things out or even manipulated the truth for their own benefit to get that job. If anyone is that opposed to a convicted thug from playing for City or any other club, then boycott the games when those players are on the team sheet. I will not judge him for a slight altercation as it were.

The other issues are about Speight and his different employers but are not changed by knowing any details about the case. Is there a level of assault which City should find acceptable? What details turn it over from make-weight to water in your mind that means he should or should not be sacked on the basis of it? If he hit someone older than him is that less and than someone younger? If he hit a woman is that worse than a man? If he was verbally insulted first does that mean it is ok to hit someone back?

In a persons mind they might have answers to these things and the effects of them – I know I do – but I would not require the law or Bradford City to take that into account and I’m glad that it does not.

The guy has gone to prison, he will come out having served his debt and everyone thinks much the worse of him because of it. He has been tried and convicted in the view of the World and – to boot – as a professional footballer the exposure of this is far greater than would be expected. He has not the protection of anonymity of the other young lads who are jailed for assault in Mansfield. No one things it is good, people who heard evidence and people who have (one assumes) talked to him have made decisions. If there a need – on the basis of less information – to second guess those decisions?

I’m not convinced that there is any benefit in exposing the gritting details of what happened simply for the sake of the public’s titillation.

If this case had been reported properly the original charge and court date would have been known to City, who could then have judged the value of Speight, knowing he might be sent down.

Press and intelligence failures have damaged City. I can see no reason why the truth of the matter should not be made more public by the same press.

This is Bradford City and the only McCarthyism we should be interested in is Sean. Exposure for the sake of exposure is not admirable nor necessary.

That is not a dig at Mansfield; but the formal charge, the court hearing date, and the result would have been publicly notified, so why did nobody pick up on it? Why is nobody properly reporting it now? He was born in Sheffield and can hardly have been on holiday in Feb. So it’s not as if it happened in a distant home town or a resort.

Now where was I? Ah yes 2 points.
1. Mansfield would not have known in my opinion or certainly not the chairman who was offering Jake an improved deal..View comments previously made with regards to City signing Jake.
2. Everybody is going on about fitness, I think match sharpness would be better phrase as surely there is a gym in prison (if theres not its against the human rights :)) and if I were the lad it would mean me just working out everyday and doing my own fitness regime, so lacking match sharpness from some friendlys until early August is not a major setback

What is, is the dissapointing start this lad has had with City, hold off on the sacking bit until we’ve watched the lad in a few games. (prob as sub)

I don’t know enough about the lad to say whether he has the mental strength and will to use this as further incentive to do well or whether it’ll ruin him. I hope it’s the former.

The only thing we can do now is swallow the hit and hope he gets his rear in gear once he’s out and playing. If he doesn’t bang in the goals, I can’t see him following in Beag’s or Jamie’s footsteps and I’m sure he’ll be one of the first to have the crowd turn against him if he doesn’t deliver.