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It's Matty's decision

Simon Smedley
22/10/2008

THE decision on whether or not Colchester defender Paul Reid is to be officially reported to the police now rests on Matty McNeil’s shoulders.

Unfortunate striker McNeil was hospitalised by Reid last Saturday after a thunderous lunge left the County big man unconscious in a heap just after half-time in the Coca-Cola League One fixture between the two sides at Edgeley Park.

Reid was shown a yellow card by Darren Deadman for his challenge, but straight after the game County boss Jim Gannon revealed that the club were considering contacting the police after McNeil suffered a serious facial injury.

Thankfully McNeil was soon released from hospital, although he wasn’t fit enough to travel to last night’s [Tues] League One game at MK Dons, but now he and County managing director Mark Maguire are preparing to meet with the police.

Maguire said yesterday lunchtime [Tues]: "I’ve now had chance to view the dvd re-run of the incident, at various speeds, and from whatever angle you look at it, the challenge on Matty is absolutely disgusting. It’s disgraceful.

"It seems to get worse each time you see it.

"There are two sides to this situation now. There’s whether or not we want the police to take further action, or whether we make formal our views about the control of the game.

"The manager did speak to the referee at half-time to warn him that someone might get hurt, and sadly that’s what happened.

"We’re not making an anti-referee or anti-establishment stand here, we just want our players protected.

"I have spoken to Matty already, and I’m due to speak to the police later today.

"The evidence will then be reviewed again on Wednesday or Thursday, but it’s not the club who must officially report Reid to the police.

"If Matty wants to make a complaint, then that has to be handled by Matty himself.

"Whatever he decides to do though, the club will be right behind him."

McNeil may still not be fit to make a return to action for this weekend’s League One trip to struggling Hereford.

Last Saturday was a bitter-sweet day for him. Making his first County start this season following knee surgery, he scored after 42 minutes, only to end up pole-axed by Reid just two minutes after the restart.