Redknapp slams Thatcher after Mendes suffers seizure
Mendes was stretchered off and will spend the night in a local hospital after being flattened by a forearm smash across the head by the former Wales international five minutes into the second half of tonight’s goalless draw at Eastlands.
Thatcher had already pole-axed Kanu, Sean Davis and Benjani Mwaruwari before his assault on Mendes, which amazingly only brought a yellow card from referee Dermot Gallagher.
“I knew exactly what was coming five seconds before it happened,” said Redknapp.
“As soon as I saw Ben Thatcher running into the corner, I knew what was coming. I would have bet my life on it.
“Pedro is in hospital and won’t be coming back with us tonight.
“He suffered some kind of fit or seizure, we had to give him oxygen, and he wasn’t in a great way when he left the stadium but we will see how he is tomorrow.”
Portsmouth midfielder Matt Taylor branded Thatcher 'a disgrace', with Redknapp now calling for the FA to step in and take action.
“How can that not be a sending off,” he stormed.
“What do you have to do, kill someone?
On the Blues’ pre-season tour of China, the former Tottenham was sent off against Shanghai for two bookable offences, but not before putting an opponent in hospital with a punctured lung
MAN CITY: Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Thatcher, Sinclair, Barton, Reyna (Ireland 66), Samaras (Miller 71), Vassell, Dickov.
PORTSMOUTH: James, Johnson, Primus, Campbell, Stefanovic, Taylor, O’Neil, Davis, Pedro Mendes (Hughes 52), Kanu, Mwaruwari (Todorov 65).
Ref: D Gallagher
Jimmy Bullard converted a 90th-minute penalty to earn Fulham a point as their clash at Craven Cottage finally burst into life.
A 72nd-minute spot-kick from El-Hadji Diouf appeared to have preserved Bolton’s 100% start to the season.
Diouf crossed to Kevin Nolan but the Bolton skipper went tumbling after clashing with Boa Morte and the referee awarded the penalty.
Fulham drew level when sub Amdy Faye handled the ball and Bullard scored from the spot, securing a deserved share of the spoils.
Fulham were on top and it was only Diouf’s penalty which breathed life into the game.
Bolton created the first chance when Ivan Campo picked out Kevin Davies with a long pass, only for Heidar Helguson to make a crucial block.
Boa Morte and McBride combined neatly to set up Bullard but his shot was going well wide until it took a deflection off Quinton Fortune and fell into the arms of Jussi Jaaskelainen.
Kevin Nolan then easily drifted around three defenders but his run was brought to a halt as Michael Brown thumped the ball out.
Brown later met Boa Morte’s cross with a header which was directed straight at Jaaskelainen.
FULHAM: Niemi, Queudrue, Christanval, Pearce, Rosenior, Brown (Radzinski 81), Diop, Bullard, Boa Morte, Helguson (John 69), McBride.
BOLTON: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Meite, Ben Haim, Fortune (Pedersen 66), Nolan, Campo, Speed, Vaz Te, Davies (Faye 60), Diouf.
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