Oh, Jay

HUMILITY, honesty, down-to-earthness. The third one is not a word. But, for want of a Thesaurus, it will have to do for now.

Let's talk Jay Simpson.

Stay with me - this is a long one.

Sometime ago I interviewed Jay for the Sunday Mercury. It was supposed to be a quirky piece about his love for Ten-Pin Bowling.

Apparently he's quite good. Each to their own, but that's just my view.

During the course of the interview, Jay told me that the move to Albion hadn't gone as well as he would have hoped. He wouldn't elaborate too much.

I asked him about next season. Tony Mowbray had told us, a week earlier, that he wanted to sign Simpson next season.

Jay clearly wasn't keen on the question. He made it clear he was an Arsenal lad. And, let's face it, if you had a choice of the fourth best club in the country or the 20th, your choice would be made up.

Of course, chances are that Jay won't make it at Arsenal. Just as Kieran Richardson didn't do it at Manchester United.

It's possible Jay will even slip down the leagues.

Right now, we simply don't know. Even Kwame Ampadu had to start somewhere before he pitched up at The Hawthorns.

That Jay Simpson interview went out on a Sunday. By the afternoon, and by Monday, it had appeared on other websites and in other publications - some of whom should know better. The spin was frightening. The fall-out more so.

One major news organisation claimed that Jay wanted to leave there and then. One said that he would be leaving immediately. They used the quotes from my piece to illustrate this.
At no point did he say that. At no point did I say that.

I'm no apologist for Jay. He's been poor for some time, he is desperately lacking confidence, he looks more League One right now than Premier League and I'm not one for his new haircut. I prefered the Mr T look.

Nevertheless, let's get down to mythology.

'Jay Simpson is a disgrace - he doesn't want to be here', raged one text message from an Albion-supporting mate to me two weeks ago.

On the contrary, he does. He just doesn't chase lost causes or bleat about how wonderful life is at Albion. False bravado, Tony Mowbray would call it.

'Jay Simpson should be sent back to Arsenal', said one mate on my Facebook chat during one late-night conversation.

Not possible, due to the loan conditions. So I'm told.

Many more, scanning websites and letters pages, have questionned his commitment.

I can't argue with the fact that he is more 'out' than 'in' the first XI. His form has been woeful.

But he shouldn't be booed on the back of quotes where he has been misrepresented.

A lack of form or ability is not, necessarily, his fault. Nor is it his fault that he's picked to play by someone else.

You can read what Tony Mowbray thinks in today's Birmingham Mail story here.

So what about Jay the footballer?

A Premier League player? Maybe not. Desperate to leave Albion? Depends which newspaper or website you read. Not according to us he wasn't. He's ambitious. Which is fair enough.

Arrogant and obnoxious? No chance. For goodness sake, this is a man who goes Ten-Pin Bowling to amuse himself. And, worse still, admits to being good at it.

His main vices are stepping over the line or hurling a purple one down the gutter.

Jay Simpson is simply a kid whose only weakness was to be honest during an interview and, subsequently, be stitched up by people who steal quotes from those of us who actually interview people face-to-face. They wouldn't know Jay Simpson from an ex-US footballer who starred in Naked Gun and might, just might, have done something worse.

His inclusion on a team sheet may deserve groans, the scratching of heads and sarcastic laughter. But, from what I know of him, it doesn't warrant abuse. He's simply guilty of being naive.

I'll leave you with this. A few weeks ago, some Albion fans were queuing outside the gates of the training ground. Each and every player stopped - bar one. I won't say who, as there might have been mitigating reasons why.

But Jay Simpson pulled over, got out of his car, shook hands, signed items and had his picture taken with the kids, who were accompanied by adults. He didn't have to. Simply signing his autograph would have been enough.

Those kids have something to tell their mates at school. It was a significant gesture on his part.

I wonder how that could get spun?

'Premier League footballer harrasses autograph hunters', perhaps?