Norris in for 'rough ride' following 'handcuffs' gesture

Ipswich Town boss Jim Magilton said today that he had come “very close” to leaving midfielder David Norris out of the squad for Saturday’s trip to Doncaster after Norris gestured his support to a jailed friend while celebrating a goal.

Magilton said Norris would be in for a “rough ride” during the game which will be live on Sky TV.

“I know the media and the public spotlight is going to be on him especially with the game being live on Sky TV, but he wants to play,” said Magilton.

“It’s not been an easy decision. I came very close to leaving him out.”

He added: “He is going to be in for a rough ride for a while and he’s going to have to deal with that.”

Norris, 27, made what appeared to be a handcuffs gesture while celebrating his goal in Ipswich’s 1-0 win at Blackpool on Saturday.

Onlookers thought that it was a show of support for Luke McCormick, a former Plymouth Argyle goalkeeper serving a seven-year sentence after admitting responsibility for the deaths of Arron Peak, 10, and his brother Ben, eight.

Ipswich Town took no action on Saturday or Sunday, but on Monday, after news of the gesture had emerged in the media, the club launched an inquiry and fined Norris two weeks’ wages – thought to be about £24,000 (€28,000).

Late on Monday, Norris issued a statement – printed on Ipswich Town’s website - saying he had made “no handcuff gesture” but had given a “small private gesture to Luke McCormick”.

He apologised for any distress he had caused to the children’s parents.

Arron and Ben, of Manchester, were travelling in a people carrier hit by McCormick’s Range Rover on the M6 near Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, in June.

McCormick, 25, was returning from Norris’s wedding in Bolton, Lancashire, when he crashed in the early hours.

The court heard that McCormick – who played with Norris when both were at Plymouth – had spent the previous day drinking and had two hours’ sleep.

Police estimated that McCormick, who comes from Coventry, was travelling at 97mph.

He admitting causing death by dangerous driving and drink-driving.

Magilton added: “The lad made a big error of judgment last weekend. He has apologised publicly and will be visiting the Peak family in person next week to do so privately.

“He has been fined by the club – with that fine going to a charity chosen by the Peak family – and I think Ipswich Town Football Club has dealt with the matter as well as we could have done.”