A FORMER Swansea City legend that was accused of “trying to kill Robin van Persie” has revealed that the striker told him to “f*** off” when he apologised.
Ex-Wales defender Ashley Williams felt the full wrath of Sir Alex Ferguson when he was involved in the controversial incident for the Swans against Manchester United in 2012.
GettyAshley Williams has revealed all about his controversial clash with Robin van Persie in 2012[/caption]
EPAThe Swansea captain booted the ball straight at the fouled Dutchman’s head[/caption]
Sir Alex Ferguson was fuming and said Williams ‘could’ve killed’ Van PersieDave Pinegar – The Sun
ReutersThe Dutch legend told Williams to ‘f*** off’ when he tried to apologise[/caption]
Near the end of the 1-1 Premier League draw at the Liberty Stadium Van Persie had been fouled by Williams’ team-mate Nathan Dyer on the edge of the box.
Referee Michael Oliver awarded the free-kick, but Williams, stood above the floored Dutchman, then blasted the ball straight at him.
It struck Van Persie, from point-blank range, straight on the head as a huge melee erupted with the United ace grabbing Williams’ shirt during the angry scenes, leading to him being booked.
Ferguson called for the Welshman to be banned after the game, blasting: “It was absolutely deliberate.
“The whistle has gone, the game has stopped and he has done that right in front of the referee – he could have killed the lad. It was a disgraceful act.”
Williams’ then boss Michael Laudrup was fuming with Fergie’s terminology, saying: “There were a lot of players there and I didn’t see it.
“I think Ferguson didn’t mean killing him literally. Things happen in a game.”
Now Williams, who retired in 2021 after spells at Everton and Bristol City, has opened up about the whole incident.
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And he revealed that Van Persie was having none of his apology afterwards for the accidental incident.
Williams told the Stretford Paddock podcast: “I knew it was out of order, I didn’t really mean it.
“I’ve said it so many times, the ball has rolled, his head was there – and it was like ‘oh’. I had no issue with him in the game, no issue with him before I thought he was a great player.
“He wasn’t someone I didn’t like. I didn’t mean to hit his head but I was surprised when I hit it. And then I was like ‘oh s***, I’ve hit his head, he’s fuming.’”
Williams, 39 and who now works as a TV pundit, then said that he tried to make amends in the reverse fixture that season at Old Trafford.
He added: “After the [first] game I was like ‘whatever’.
“The next time I played him, the ball was down the other end and I was like ‘sorry about that from before, I didn’t mean it’.
“And he was like ‘f*** off’. And I was like ‘sound’. I’d react the same.”
Van Persie went on to score 26 Premier League goals, and 30 in all competitions, that season as he fired United to the title in what would be Ferguson’s final campaign in charge before retirement.
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