Gillon McLachlan admits his claim a Carlton fan ran to abuse umpire Mathew Nicholls may not be right

A week after claiming a Carlton fan ran across “two bays of seats” to abuse umpire Mathew Nicholls, AFL chief Gillon McLachlan has changed his story.

AFL Round 13. 15/06/2019. Carlton v Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium. Carlton fan Frankie who last week called umpire Matthew Nicholls a 'bald headed flog' back at Marvel Stadium tonight. Pic: Michael Klein

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has admitted his claim a Carlton supporter ran across “two bays of seats” to abuse umpire Mathew Nicholls may not be right.

Lawyers for Frankie, the Blues fan evicted from Marvel Stadium two weeks ago, wrote to the AFL on Wednesday seeking an apology and formal retraction of claims he ran in an aggressive and intimidating manner towards Nicholls during Carlton’s clash against the Brisbane Lions on June 8.

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Asked if he still believed it had happened, McLachlan told 3AW this morning: “That was the advice I had at the time and whether it’s right or wrong, what I think is clear is that the umpire felt intimidated and I’m not going to back away from supporting security and others who protected umpires who felt intimidated.”

The claim Frankie had run waving and screaming at Nicholls to call him a “baldheaded flog” was used to help justify the actions taken against him as the fan security crisis engulfed the AFL.

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McLachlan now says the allegation is a “technicality”.

“That was the advice I was given,” McLachlan said.

“I’m sure people will work through the technicalities of whether he did or didn’t run two bays in the process of intimidating the umpire.”

Asked if he had seen the legal letter sent by top law firm Holding Redlich, McLachlan said: “No. I haven’t paid a lot of attention to it. I’ve seen it reported, yeah.”

Told Frankie was “pretty upset about it”, the league boss said: “Is he?”

Frankie’s legal team say he has been vilified and defamed and are also seeking the removal of the first and final warning slapped on him by the AFL integrity department.

Mathew Nicholls claims he was ‘spooked’ by fan behaviour. Pic: Michael Klein

Multiple media outlets were briefed by the AFL about Frankie running aggressively towards umpire Nicholls as debate raged about whether calling an umpire a flog justified an eviction.

Citing the AFL on June 11, The Age newspaper said the Blues fan was “evicted for ‘spooking’ (the) umpire by running, screaming, waving his arms”.

Broadcaster Gerard Whateley also weighed, criticising 3AW for “championing” Frankie “in a bizarre and inappropriate way” after he called the station to tell his side of the story.

Holding Redlich partner Kyle Siebel told the Herald Sun this week: “Frankie did not run across two bays of seats as has been alleged.

“Holding Redlich has written to the AFL requesting that the incorrect statements on the public record be corrected and an apology be issued.”