Bodmin Town's vastly experienced goalkeeper Kevin Miller has hit out at the behaviour of some of Helston Athletic's supporters during Tuesday night's tremendous Cornwall Senior Cup final replay at Truro's Treyew Road.
Miller, who made more than 600 appearances in League football, claimed he was verbally abused and threatened with violence, and also said a section of Helston fans chanted 'Paedophile' at Bodmin manager Darren Gilbert.
There was also a claim that one of the Bodmin substitutes, Lewis Reed, was physically attacked by a Helston supporter during the celebrations of one of Helston's goals.
Miller said: "I imagine some people will go onto the football forums and say it was only harmless banter, but it wasn't. It was nasty.
"Some of the language was appalling, and in this day and age there is no room for this sort of behaviour.
"Gilby (Darren Gilbert) was called a paedophile, among other things, with his wife and kids having to listen to all the abuse.
"And I was verbally abused by a man with a pint in his hand who was standing behind the goal with his young son.
"I asked him to meet me afterwards face to face to say the things he was saying to me, then another Helston supporter came along and said he would see me outside, and his language was appalling too, in front of young children."
A steward was seen to escort one man and a young boy away from behind the goal at the request of other supporters, and the man was ordered by the steward to pour his beer away.
Stewards were kept busy in the second half and during the extra time period of the game, repeatedly having to ask Helston fans to move away from the area behind the Bodmin dugout, while other Helston followers were heard to verbally abuse a linesman after a stoppage in play.
In one of the best Senior Cup finals in recent memory, Bodmin lifted the trophy for the fourth successive year with a 4-3 win after extra time in front of a crowd of 823.
But the players from division one west side Helston did their club proud with a never say die performance, and two-goal striker Liam Eddy was named man of the match.
Miller, who made more than 600 appearances in League football, claimed he was verbally abused and threatened with violence, and also said a section of Helston fans chanted 'Paedophile' at Bodmin manager Darren Gilbert.
There was also a claim that one of the Bodmin substitutes, Lewis Reed, was physically attacked by a Helston supporter during the celebrations of one of Helston's goals.
Miller said: "I imagine some people will go onto the football forums and say it was only harmless banter, but it wasn't. It was nasty.
"Some of the language was appalling, and in this day and age there is no room for this sort of behaviour.
"Gilby (Darren Gilbert) was called a paedophile, among other things, with his wife and kids having to listen to all the abuse.
"And I was verbally abused by a man with a pint in his hand who was standing behind the goal with his young son.
"I asked him to meet me afterwards face to face to say the things he was saying to me, then another Helston supporter came along and said he would see me outside, and his language was appalling too, in front of young children."
A steward was seen to escort one man and a young boy away from behind the goal at the request of other supporters, and the man was ordered by the steward to pour his beer away.
Stewards were kept busy in the second half and during the extra time period of the game, repeatedly having to ask Helston fans to move away from the area behind the Bodmin dugout, while other Helston followers were heard to verbally abuse a linesman after a stoppage in play.
In one of the best Senior Cup finals in recent memory, Bodmin lifted the trophy for the fourth successive year with a 4-3 win after extra time in front of a crowd of 823.
But the players from division one west side Helston did their club proud with a never say die performance, and two-goal striker Liam Eddy was named man of the match.