The Liverpool fan who infuriated Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone is a debt collector who was previously banned from football for three years, it can be revealed.
Jonathan Poulter, 30, enraged Argentine manager Simeone in the aftermath of Virgil van Dijk’s late winner as Arne Slot’s men opened their Champions League account with a win at Anfield on Wednesday night.
Poulter, who was sat behind the opposing dugout in the Anfield Road stand, was seen shouting ‘f*** off’ on a number of occasions towards the Atletico bench when they equalised at 2-2, before tensions boiled over following the winning goal.
The Liverpool fan shared his version of events on back at Simeone on Thursday, labelling the Atletico boss a ‘coward’ while accusing his assitant coach of spitting at him.
And now it can be revealed that Poulter, who works as a debt collector, was previously banned from football for three years following a row with another supporter during Steven Gerrard’s final game for the club.
According to the Liverpool Echo, Poulter shouted abuse at David Hingham, 61, who was with his disabled wife, when he was asked to move a banner dedicated to the Liverpool legend in their match against Crystal Palace on April 16, 2015.
The Liverpool fan who sent Diego Simeone into meltdown has seemingly identified himself
The football fan denied using abuse or threatening behaviour, insulting words to cause harassment, alarm or distress, but was convicted at Sefton Magistrates’ Court.
The court was told that the incident happened as Gerrard walked out to a guard of honour in tribute to his 17 years of service to the club. Poulter was subjected to an eight week curfew between 9.30pm and 6am.
Mr Hingham said: ‘There was quite a lot of coverage in the press and we knew the would be a guard of honour as he came onto the pitch, making it quite a send off for him.
‘The anticipation of that was quite high, we had seen a lot about it on the TV and it was a big game for people.’
Poulter’s banner was raised directly in front of the disabled supporters in the Kop – an area where flags are regularly raised but taken down once the players enter the pitch. On this occasion they did not and Mr Hingham asked Poulter to remove his banner.
Jonny Poulter took to X to reveal he had sent Diego Simeone into a rage on Wednesday night
Mr Hingham’s disabled wife Laura told the court she could see Poulter was ‘angry’ and that she could hear him ‘swearing’, while the lifelong Liverpool fan said he felt ‘threatened and intimidated’ by Poulter – who was cautioned in 2013 for attempting to take smoke pellets into Wigan’s DW Stadium.
It is claimed that Poulter said: ‘We have been trying to get you wheelchair users moved for some time, and we will keep trying.’
An onlooking supporter asked Poulter to ‘cut out’ the swearing, to which she was told to ‘f***** p*** off’.
Poulter admitted that he told Mr Higham: ‘This is the Kop, this is our tradition, this is what we do, if you don’t like it there’s the door you can f*** off.’ However he claimed he had been ‘intimidated’ by Mr Hingham, who had entered his ‘personal space’.
The court was told that Poulter apologised to Mr Hingham and his wife at the first home game of the following season, and shook his hand. Nevertheless he received a lengthy ban from football.
Following the Liverpool fan’s altercation with Simeone, various new clips have emerged on social media offering an insight into the pair’s confrontation.
A post from X account @Trulli__UB shows Poulter aiming X-rated hand gestures and shouting ‘f*** off’ towards the Atletico Madrid bench after they drew level at 2-2.
Another video, shot from behind Poulter in the Anfield Road Stand, showed Simeone attempting to confront the Liverpool fan following van Dijk’s winner.
Simeone said after the game: ‘Let’s talk about what refers to me. We are in a place where we don’t have a right to reply or react, do we? It’s never very good when we react as managers, is it? We are the people on the stage out there and need to behave well.
Simeone made a beeline for the fan and revealed he had been hit with ‘insults all night’
‘But if there are comments against racism or insults, we can get angry and fight back as well. Managers, from the place that we are, get insulted all of the game.
‘When they scored the third goal, he turned around and insulted me, when I turned around, I am a person and I’m human.
‘I’m not going to get into the exact nature of the insults. I don’t want to get involved with that, I don’t want that discussion. I have got to stay in my place.
‘I know what went on behind the manager’s bench. I can’t solve society’s problems in one press conference. I’ve got to live with it.’
On commentary for TNT Sports, Darren Fletcher watched with amazement as Simeone departed down the tunnel.
‘Simeone’s in the crowd!’ the commentator informed the viewers – and co-pundit Ally McCoist. ‘He’s absolutely lost the plot. I don’t know what’s been said to him.’
Fletcher added: ‘I think he feels like he’s been wronged in some way, by the people on that side – all we do know is that he’s been sent off.’
When asked why he had responded in that way, Simeone told Movistar Futbol: ‘They’ve been talking about putting on a good show, but they insult you from behind the team the whole game, and you can’t say anything because I’m the coach.
‘My reaction to the insult isn’t justifiable.
‘And of course, with the opponent scoring just in time, you turn around and they keep insulting you, and with the tension, what happens is what happens.’