Cantona Kung-Fu Kick 30 Years On: I'd Have Been Booted Out, Says McClair

Thirty years on, what Eric Cantona did at Selhurst Park on January 25, 1995, is still regarded as one of sport's most extraordinary events.

Having just been sent off, the Manchester United player vaulted an advertising hoarding and attacked Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons to the astonishment of everyone who witnessed it.

One of the most controversial incidents ever seen in a football ground anywhere in the world, it is as shocking today as it was three decades ago.

"There are games that I have no recollection of, but this one is very much at the forefront of my mind," Brian McClair, who was playing for United that night, tells Gambling.com.  

"Not only for the events of the actual evening, but everything that happened after. Had that been me, I wouldn’t have been a Manchester United player after that,"

Cantona arrived in England from French football as a virtual unknown in 1992, joining Leeds United and winning the final pre-Premier League era English title in his maiden season.

The following year he moved to Old Trafford in one of the most sensational transfers of the 1990s and his impact helped a floundering side win the inaugural Premier League by 10 points.

But it was over the following years that Cantona would truly make his mark on English football in more ways than one, not least that chilly night in south east London.

United Flying High

Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United were flying high and would have been favourites with football betting sites for a third consecutive title.

They had finally landed their first league championship for 26 years in 1993 before successfully defending their crown the following season.

Having just acquired the services of striker Andy Cole from Newcastle, a win at Palace would have seen them move above Blackburn at the top of the Premier League.

However, the home side weren’t prepared to just roll over in what would have been a pretty forgettable encounter but for what would occur later in the evening.

Palace set out to stifle their opponents, slowing things down wherever possible in an attempt to frustrate a United side who had been setting the league alight with their fast, attacking football.

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Cantona Sees Red

The first half was far from a classic with Palace defender Richard Shaw all but marking Eric Cantona out of the game, limiting his ability to have any impact and restricting service to Cole.

“I think the tactics adopted by Palace to frustrate Eric and even wind him up were perfectly normal,” explains McClair.

"Eric was subject to a lot of punishment from not only Richard Shaw, who he ended up having the challenge that got him sent off, but he was targeted by nearly all the Palace players both physically and verbally.

"There was a suggestion at half-time that Eric was approaching what became known as the red zone and that he would take things into his own hands. But the manager said: ‘that's okay, I've had a word with him and he'll be fine,’  which didn't turn out to be the case." 

The Frenchman’s temper finally got the better of him after 48 minutes. Unable to shake off the attentions of his nemesis, he lashed out at Shaw with a kick which was spotted by the linesman who immediately flagged.

Simmonds Suffers Serious Backlash

As referee Alan Wilkie brandished the inevitable red card Cantona stood stock-still momentarily, hands on hips, before trudging slowly towards the tunnel.

“I didn’t see what happened until I got home that night,” explains McClair. “All I knew was that Eric had been sent off and was walking down the touchline with our kit man Norman Davies as we prepared for the resulting free-kick.

“It was only at the end of the game that Gary Walsh told me that Cantona had landed a kick on someone in the crowd, But I thought that couldn’t be possible as it seemed to defy the law of physics."

Walsh was right, and from almost a standing position Cantona had somehow managed to thrust his right boot into the chest of startled 20-year-old Palace fan Simmons, before landing a fierce right-hand.

Simmons would later claim that he’d shouted: “Off you go Cantona, it’s an early shower for you!” Witnesses nearby claimed that his exact words were: “F*** off back to France, you French b*****d.” 

FA Pull No Punches

Cantona was eventually escorted down the tunnel by a combination of security staff and players, who also came under fire from a range of missiles, hot tea and further abuse from the crowd.

As for the game itself, the action was largely forgotten after that moment with the match ending in a 1-1 draw as Gareth Southgate’s late effort cancelled out David May’s first goal for United. “Just my luck it was in that game,” he later joked.

The Football Association's chief executive, Graham Kelly, called the incident: “a stain on our game,” while Alex Ferguson aimed his anger at the referee. "If you’d done your f***ing job this wouldn’t have happened,” he reportedly shouted at Mr Wilkie on the final whistle.

The club’s response was to announce that Cantona would not play for the remainder of the season, but the FA felt the punishment didn’t go far enough and decided he would not be allowed to return until the following October as well as issuing him with a £20,000 fine.

United Go Empty Handed

Cantona would also be charged with assault and having being found guilty at Croydon Magistrates' Court was initially given a two-week custodial sentence before it was reduced to 120 hours community service on appeal.

United would eventually lose out on a third successive title on the final day of the season by one point and also lose the FA Cup final a week later to Everton. McClair believes Cantona's absence was crucial.

“He was our game changer and if he hadn’t created that situation, you’d think that things would have turned out differently. I think we’d have certainly won more games than we drew,” he says.

Cantona returned to the English game on October 1, 1995, inevitably scoring a penalty against Liverpool on his Premier League comeback at Old Trafford.

He would play a huge part as United went on to win the Premier League and FA Cup double that season having spent much of the season trailing Kevin Keegan’s Newcastle United.

Cantona Calls It A Day

Manchester United won the title again the following year as they overcame Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal side with Cantona instrumental once more. But just weeks after getting his hands on another Premier League trophy he shocked the world of football by announcing his retirement.

McClair remains convinced that the aftermath of what happened on the night of January 25, 1995, had a lot to do with Cantona calling time on his glittering career at the age of just 30.

“After the shock of going to prison and being pilloried every day all the way through his suspension, I do believe the fire died when he received that punishment and he fell out of love with football.

"I believe the manager tried to persuade him to continue and not let others beat him, but I think Eric decided then that this wasn’t for him anymore and he was getting out of it.”