Brentford’s Kevin Schade and Vitaly Janelt were the two players who fought off a drunk man who racially abused a security guard, it can now be revealed. Telegraph Sport reported in March that two Brentford footballers had intervened after seeing the incident in Richmond while travelling home from a match against Leeds United.
A court heard that David Wheeler, 63, was left with a black eye when Schade and Janelt defended Israel Ilesanmi, a Nigerian security guard, in the early hours of the morning. Wheeler, a pharmaceutical van driver who had drunk “about seven” cans of beer, had targeted Ilesanmi because he thought he was a lookout for burglars. He had filmed Ilesanmi, called him a “c---” and said: “You’re not English. Why are you here? What are you looking for?”
As Schade and Janelt intervened, Wheeler also turned on them. Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court heard that he told the players “f--- off, German f------ pricks”.