Cole told the London Evening Standard:

"I would never do that to get a fellow professional sent off.

"I am not saying that Craig did anything deliberately but it certainly hurt when he connected with my face.

"I don't condone diving in any way, shape or form. That is cheating and I am not a cheat. There was contact even though it may have been accidental.

"To suggest I made a meal of it is totally wrong. I was struck in the face and I was stunned by it. That's why I fell down."

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Answers

Lying git.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

With a glass jaw like he's got, it's easy to see why he didn't take up boxing.

From the replays I've seen Cole went down clutching a bit of his body that had not made any contact with Bellamy. I think that if this sort of thing is to be avoided in the future then the FA need to announce that as well as using video evidence for foul play after the match, they will also use it for punishing players who dive.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Oddly enough though the arsenal physio and Kieron Dyer both reckon his mouth was bleeding...if it was just the arsenal physio i'd doubt it but why would dyer lie?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Perhaps it was from biting his lip so hard when he was trying not to tell Henry what a t*sser he was?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

He's either an unbelievably lightweight pansy with zero tolerance for pain or a diving, cheating, lieing sack of shit. I want to see him given a ban for that disgusting display either way. Obnoxious, cheating little turd. I think that Arsenal fan summed it up in that other thread: they are embarrassed by his antics.

Dyer probably wants to play with Cole at the World Cup/Arsenal.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

I don't believe a word of his. Although the only logic behind YKD's comments are for the good of his England career. I didn't see any blood, and I'm sure STY wouldn't hesitate to zoom in on any damage. Great pics of Keown's heed :-) Why wasn't he treated off the pitch?

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

a mate of mine is one of his closest friends...

...any suggestions what to put in the text message??

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

....I think Softie summed it up rather neatly actually, min!!

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Bloody tosser, of course he cheated - you don't get hit in the throat only to go down holding your forehead.

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Cole is referred to as the "bloody tosser" in the above post, just in case someone thought it was directed at them :)

-- Anonymous, December 20, 2001

Min, you could say "We saw what happened." That should do :-)

-- Anonymous, December 21, 2001