Marlon King Released From Prison, Does He Really Deserve Another Chance?

Chris Wright

29th, July 2010

22 Comments

By Chris Wright

Former Wigan striker Marlon King has been released from prison today after serving nine months of an eighteen-month sentence for sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman (whom he left needing hospital treatment for a broken nose and a split lip) in a Soho nightclub in December of 2008.

Reports are already circulating that King has been approached by Championship side Coventry City with an offer to resume his football career at the Ricoh Arena, with boss Aidy Boothroyd (who managed King at Watford for three years between 2005-08) admitting to Talksport that his current club are willing to open a line of communication with the disgraced forward;

“I know Marlon King the dad, Marlon King the husband and Marlon King the footballer and I’m not going to just throw someone on the scrapheap just because he made a mistake, as grave a mistake as that might be.”

When you know him and you’ve worked with him and you know the good and the bad then you have to take that decision, but we are nowhere near that decision yet.”

Marlon King may be an exemplary father and a diligent husband, and you could even argue that he is a perfectly serviceable footballer on his day – but there can be no uncertainty surrounding the fact that he is a complete d*ckhead.

The Soho Revue Bar in London

Since the age of 17, King has been in court on no less than seven occasions over 14 separate offences which range from motoring offenses to violence against women – and since signing his first professional papers with Gillingham back in 2000, King has now been incarcerated twice.

His first prison term came in 2002, whilst still playing for The Gills, when he was jailed for eighteen months after being arrested whilst driving a stolen BMW convertible.

A year after that he was summoned to Bow Street Magistrates’ Court in London on two counts of common assault where the court heard how a taxi driver had called police about a ‘disturbance’ he had witnessed in Soho. When officers arrived at the scene they were greeted by the sight of an inebriated King chasing two women along the road with a belt buckle wrapped round his right fist.

One of the girls explained that King had attacked the pair ‘for no apparent reason’, punching her in the face and causing cuts and swelling. He was then fined £1,000 by the court and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to each of the victims.

King’s most recent appearance in court (before his latest conviction) was in 2005, when he was convicted of ‘threatening behaviour’ for approaching and spitting at a woman in Leicester Square, again ‘for no apparent reason’. He was fined £300, and again ordered to pay £500 in compensation.

King in his Gillingham days

I had the misfortune of catching King’s agent (and former teammate at Barnet), Tony Finnigan, speaking at length on Sky Sports News this afternoon about his client’s continual misrepresentation as some kind of misogynist tyrant – although I’d suggest that a quick leaf through his various rap sheets would offer up a pretty damning character reference.

Finnigan, like any good agent, had one eye on his prospective ‘cut’ and was vehemently defending his wrongfully besieged ‘friend’ (“a lot of other players have gotten away with a lot worse”) whilst subtly advertising his footballing virtues to any interested parties that may have been out there listening – a display that made for some pretty cringe-inducing viewing.

* * * * *

It is quite clear that King has some potent behavioural issues that stem way back, possibly to childhood – I don’t know or care to find out, I’ve given him quite enough of my time already.

However, anyone who has systematically (and, more often than not, violently) bitten the hand that has fed him now, after being bestowed with the enviable privilege of forging a career in top-flight professional football, deserves the kind of salubrious life that such a ‘job’ would allow him.

So to finally come back to my original question, does Marlon King (who, lest we forget, is now on the sex offenders register) deserve another chance? Does he f*ck.

Posted in Championship, Wigan Athletic

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22 Comments

  1. Ollie says:

    Woman-beating scum. Football doesn’t want him back.

  2. mizman says:

    dont like the man, dont think he is particulary good player, seems like a c**t. However, he has served his time and should be allowed the oppportunity to carry on playing.

  3. andy lawn says:

    unfortunately I am a coventry fan, and the thought of king joining us fills me with dread. he would score at that level but how could I cheer someone as nasty as him?! very, very bittersweet

  4. Dougie says:

    What sort of message does this send out to young fans? He should be allowed to continue his life a new after serving his time but not in profeesional football

  5. Nick says:

    Im a forest fan and he was a arrogant w*anker when he played for us! Doesnt deserve another chance at all! He must be on his 3,4,5……chance already!

  6. Inno says:

    I heartily recommend viewing this for a fair representation of Marlon King: It’s only 43 seconds and may contain excessive Russell Howard: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJekytYGPc4

  7. Rich says:

    was about to quote russ before i saw you put it up Inno, i’m tempted to go to the ricoh just to sing it at him

  8. oldmangloom says:

    Much like Andy, I’m a CCFC supporter who is embarrassed to even be associated with signing the guy.

    Whilst there is an argument that he’s done his time in the eyes of the law, it beggars belief his Mr 15% would lay blame at the door of others.

    14 previous convictions and a reduced 18 month jail term? Some people are beyond reform.

    In my opinion, I’d rather my club steer well clear.

  9. MarkieMark says:

    Fantastic stuff from Russell Howard just about sum’s King up!! Trouble is he will get a club. I’m a QPR fan & Warnock’s been sniffing around the King subject. Don’t want to see that #### in a hoops shirt!! But hey his agent says he’s done his time so its okay!! I just can’t understand some people!!!

  10. Gibby says:

    This c**t doesn’t deserve the steam of ma jobbie !!! How many of us would love/dream to have played professional footie at a decent level and this twat has been handed that opportunity – how many times ? ? ? He gets the chance to make decent money as a pro footie player but still deals in stolen goods !!! how schemey is that thinking. Maybe watched Mean Machine too many times or started to believe in his surname too much. Sin bin these idiots they shouldn’t even get near a sunday team. So what happens if some under u19’s get promoted to CC 1st team surely under the disclosure process this sex offender shouldn’t be working anywhere near kids !!!

  11. Giles says:

    Before you condemn the guy out of hand . . . maybe his repeat offending could actually mean he needed treatment, not just locking up.

    If Boothroyd at Coventry was (and he has by no means committed himself) to take Marlon on, then maybe he believes that he can help him.

    If not to try and stop people re-offending, then it would appear that most posters on this topic believe prison is solely for punishment which is an inditement on 21st century society.

    What he has repeatedly done makes me sick to my stomach, but he’s now named and shamed on the Sex Offenders Register for all to see in the future, so shame on anyone that would deny him the chance of proper treatment and some level of a normal life again.

  12. MarkieMark says:

    I don’t see his problem bring one that needs treatment! I mean I don’t believe he is mentally ill or something like that! He’s just a cock & full of it!!! How long before he stop’s being a muslim, goes on the piss again & threatens or beats up another women?? Not too long I reckon!!

  13. Claire says:

    Is this how we repay sex offenders and thugs for the ability to kick a ball? He has ZERO respect for women and an extensive criminal record, and the FA pulls out the chequebook.

    Disgusting, what message does this send out? It’ll be no small salary when he goes back, and he’s still full of sh*t painting himself as some sort of victim in all of this. Doesn’t deserve the airtime, let alone a revived footballing career.

  14. MarkieMark says:

    Yep!! Just saw his piece on the BBC Website!! Totally disgusted!!! Can’t say I’m surprised though & all you have said Claire is correct. Seems that some people can just get away with it with very little punishment!!

  15. jam says:

    i dont see why he shouldnt be allowed to carry on playing football , thats just like saying lil wayne shouldnt be allowed to carry on rapping when he gets outs of jail.

  16. MarkieMark says:

    Totally disagree with you mate. Not even talking about him raping just his behavour as a whole. He has a string of convictions alot against women & is now in the sex register list. He is still saying he didn’t do it as well!!! Footballers are supposed to be role models & an example should be made of him

  17. MarkieMark says:

    Whoop’s mean’t to say “not even talking about a rapper but Marlon’s behavour as a whole”!!!

  18. BH says:

    QPR is said to be interested. Shame, shame, shame.

  19. MarkieMark says:

    I know!! I follow Rangers & its disgusting!!

  20. Wally Grainger says:

    He ahould not be welcomed back into football, end of. The way he bangs on anyone would think he’s the victim. Thick, ignorant twat. It’s hardly ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is it? Sad, sad, sad.

  21. tomtresco says:

    He hasnt learnt his lesson with such a short sentence, You cant polish a Turd

  22. Charles says:

    Hee should be allowed no matter what. A women beater…everybody makes mistakes and one bad decision shouldn’t end ones football career. It dosent matter how good or bad of player he is. It’s himself that caused the problem, he committed the crime and did the time. END OF.

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