On this day...

In 1995, Eric Cantona is fined £20,000 and banned from playing football over his kung fu-style attack on a fan. The club has relegated the French star striker to the bench for nine months for lashing out at a fan in the front row during a game against Crystal Palace. Cantona has also been stripped of his captaincy of the French national team and he has lost his place in the side. Cantona claims the fan, Matthew Simmons, shouted racial insults and threw a missile at him as he walked off the pitch after being given a red card for kicking another player during a tackle. The Frenchman leapt at the fan, aiming both feet at his chest. He then threw several punches, before police, stewards and other members of the crowd managed to pull him off.

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