You can't argue with the facts- He is still apologizing for it nearly twenty years later. Stan makes some very good points here. Good pundit as well.

One hell of a player, and has now become a brilliant pundit.

He's spot on. I'd almost forgotten Gazza used to use his wife as a punchbag.

Gazza and Ulrika were both national treasure's, the nation adored them both. That's why Gazza got away with it and Collymore was vilified.

i am pleasantly surprised at how intelligent and articulate stan collymore is. when he was on talk sport he was by far the most knowledgeable about football during his time there.

Stan is honest. Honesty is hard n painful. It takes a big person to admit they were wrong. You have to respect anyone who admits they were wrong. The past is the past. Let it lie n move on. Well done Stan.

The only other possibility is because Ulrika was almost "nations sweetheart" at the time, although I am pretty sure what Stan says is mostly true also

He's bang on about Gazza

Can you imagine Gazza hosting match of the day 😂😂

Agree totally with him re Gascoigne and Barton

One of our finest. legend at our club. also he happens to be a great bloke. Humble as they come. coyr

The likely reason Collymore is treated differently to Barton and Gazza is because we all mostly knew and liked the victim. Almost no one could name Gascoigne's wife, whom he serially abused. Almost no one could tell you who Barton beat up and went to jail for.

One of the most talented footballers I have ever seen totally unplayable at times unfortunately the culture of players at that time especially Liverpool and the personality of Stanley Victor destroyed any chance of reaching the heights he easily was capable of only 3 England Caps tells a story

Have to agree with him, it’s a point well explained.

Very honest and balanced Stan. You would enhance TV punditry. Good Luck.

It was a long time ago and yest it was dreadful , I remember him acting tough and threatening that silly Vanilla Ice guy on some reality show, he was a proper bully but most of us have done things years ago that we cant ever be proud off, people move on and he now sounds like a very different man, good on him for how much he has grown

i used to luv Stan as a pundit on talksport, speaks the truth.

Lets not forget. Joey Bartons brother ALSO killed a kid with an Axe to the head.

He's got a point to be fair

Quite simply because Ulrika Johnson was famous. If Joey Barton had decked Cheryl Cole outside McDonald's it would be mentioned every day of the year.

Wasn't just the once though, he knocked her about and pushed her down the stairs in The Shoal Hill Tavern in Cannock but this wasn't widely reported!

Takes guts to confront the issue head on, and he articulates himself well. He's right to bring up the Gazza issue. Even Barton, to an extent. As for the differential treatment, it's hard to say. Race may well come into it, and that should be a discussion people can have without morons screaming "he's playing the race card!"

I spent a great night , with Stan and others , in bars at Porto Banus . My impression was that he is very highly intelligent and was able to converse on two or more topics at once with multiple people . At the same time he was handling offers to fight from drunken clowns . I was very impressed . .

Good and valid points made here...George Best was a fantastic tactically brilliant player, but he broke the ribs of his ex wife...black eyes, slept with her friends and the list goes on. Someone has a talent that is adored by millions is more important than what he does to his wife/girlfriend etc. I can honestly think of 9 players that have beaten their partners in drunken brawls but it never gets mentioned, Stan has a point, possibly.

I like this guy because he's HONEST.

Difference between stan and gazza is gazza is and was a legend . Stan was an ok player who always thought way too much of himself. No one likes a big head who thinks he is better than everyone else .

Good point about Gazza

Well said!!.. Why can't the British press let it go!!..This guy would be an asset to any TV show. He is clearly a bright and intelligent guy with lots to say.. I know NOTHING about football but i had the misfortune the other day to witness poor Paul Gascoigne have a shambolic interview and he was desperately trying to be humorous and mumbled his way through his segment?... and Stan is not getting offered certain jobs by TV companies!!.. How the hell does that stack up!!..

Stan has great things to say and says them very well, his problem as I see it is that he challenges the status quo and that won’t do, he obviously hates my club Leeds but that’s ok. I think he understands fans as well as the players

He's totally got a point here. Why is Gazza revered??

Well said Stan. Jamie carragher. Spits at a child and gets his job back after a nice long holiday. Case closed

Well done Stan, you make sense and seem a good guy

Stan, Well said, your a top bloke, very honest appraisal of your life, onward and upwards mate

He's a bright guy and every one of us has fucked up on some level and disappointed our mothers at some point it's how you react and make yourself a better person that's important remorse and regret he's got it in bucket load's

Bang on about everything Stan

THE PUBLIC like Gazza and he admitted domestic abuse and showed public remorse. On the other hand the public don't really like collymore.He assaulted Ulrika IN Public but has never showed real remorse. Collymore should look at himself and stop playing the race card.

The reasons are more likely linked to Ulrika's prominance in the media at the time & she had peak time, weekend show slots on TV & was very much in the media & public eye. Gazza was such a big England player in the 90s and a publicly battling alcoholic making him both a cult icon and a tragic one drawing more sympathy. He is associated with tears & anguish during his career alot more than the magic moments. Joey Barton is frankly down to media ignorance & irresponsibility; he had a fairly average top flight career, never really achieved at a top club & is a terrible media pundit so who rates him or why is a mystery. This doesn't make it right of course, racist views may well play a part in Stan's case but then again any fall out from abuse that a man or woman commits to the opposite sex will rightly be of his/her own making & what ever that happens after will be what it will be. All being said I do respect how Stan handled the question and hopefully he has managed the violent edges that he may have had underlying at the time and is a better man now for it.

He's damn right about the racial double standards.

His apology is insincere, and he makes excuses and claims double standard - which is b*llox. Ulrika Johnson was revered and loved by the British people, and attacking such an effeminate and articulate women is genuinely shocking. He punched her to the floor and kicked her when she was down - something he plays down and attempts to frame as 'attacking'. The alleged equivalence between him and Gazza is laughable. Like Ulrika, Gazza was loved by the people and a footballing hero to-boot (his wife was an unknown), and Collymore was never liked at any club he was at - it nothing to do with him being mixed race (what a cheap-shot that was btw).

Stay strong Stanley! I agree with you on this one mate.

He got a Glasgow Kiss from the Barman outside in Paris.

I wonder has Stan considered that it's still hangs over him because it was one of the biggest celebrities on television at the time that he punched, then kicked when she was on the ground

Ulrika Johnson was a massive Celebrity at the time.

Stan is completely spot on. Stan the man stay strong 💪 hailhail

I like Stans honesty he’s been very open with his struggles but he lowers himself here by playing the race card

Got time for Stan great points he makes

I don't think it's the race thing, I think it's cos of who he hit! a famous girl with friends in the media

Paul Gascoigne was a mercurial footballer and was a down to earth character, with very many traits that touched the common man (minus the domestic abuse) not an above average player and someone with Collymore's arrogance. These are reasons that Collymore cannot see because he is so self absorbed.

The nation loved Gazza. Most that worked with him still love him and talk about the wonderful memories. Stan was the total opposite. Don’t make it fair mind but that’s how it is.

I like this man .UK TV should offer him work

Collymore was a legend at Real Oviedo

100% its race.

So jealous of Gazza

Stan is right. Race is an issue.

Quite right Stan 2 tier society ..much love ..

He is absolutely right. Black people are looked at differently regarding violence. His comments are right.

Ian Wright is one of the best pundits and it took him years before he was a regular on match of the day

He's right whether people like it or not. He's human made a terrible mistake and has never done anything like it since. He speaks well and coherently unlike Gaza who can't string a decent sentence together and has trouble speaking English properly. When race is mentioned, why do people get all touchy and prickly about it....especially white folk! It exists even in this day and age, sometimes subtly sometimes not so subtle, but it exists. The only card I see played is white people playing the ignorant card. I'm afraid it's true. Makes you feel uncomfortable, but that's an issue certain pockets of people need to deal with!!

Stan u really have to stop apologising and explaining ur self to the media everything u said is true. The media and the public only pick on u cos of the colour of ur skin keep ur head up u was a top top player and a very good media pundit 💯🔥🔥

He didn't say what Ulrica said or done to make him snap?

Very well said Stanley 👌

18 years ago the only place to hit ulrica, was in the A with ya D my son

Paul Gascoigne gets called a football legend because that's what he is. You were a talented player (amongst a generation of almost 10 British strikers, you weren't a stand out) had a couple of good seasons over 10 years then mentally fell apart and retired at 31 when you were still perfectly healthy. Gazza also gets sympathy because he clearly is not neuro-typical, there's dysfunction in every part of his life but he was also known for being a very 'giving' person. I don't excuse Gazza but to even compare the public perception of him to yourself, Stan, shows either an inability to gauge others perception or denial.

Super Ally came to the Ulrika's rescue,,, leave Gazza out of it jealousy will get you nowhere , Joey served his time you never got jailed

Apologies are for your own mental peace, it doesn't take away what you did and that moment and what it might have affected that lady psychologically

Not British or Black, but as an outsider observing British Culture especially in football, black players always seem to get demonised. When England lost to Italy in the Euros in 21, the abuse Saka, Rashford and Sancho got was atrocious. Now three years later history it is repeating itself and the media used Sakas image on a lot of the news articles instead of using any of the other English players English players. In recent times also, Manchester Cities Mendy and Greenwood who allegedly commited crimes were broadcast all over the media to the point Greenwood has been dropped by his country and had to leave England. A unnamed Everton player was arrested for relations with a minor and his name was protected at all costs even though it's was easy to assume who the high profile player was as he no longer features for club nor country and surprisingly he was not black and his case was barely mentioned. Finally, Jack Grealish has had a number of driving offenses, extremely serious ones where he could have killed pedestrians and nothing has been made of this, yet the media push him as the perfect poster boy for kids to emulate.

From what I remember the tabloids even tried to insinuate that gazza had broken his former wife's fingers in a rage of binge drinking and drugs.

Love Stan total legend of a human

I think you raise a good point, but it always crossed mind that Stan hit a well fancied TV presenter on the "inside" and these peeps never let go....if Gazza had hit the same woman, he would have gone through the same imo...not that this is right at all, but maybe closer to the truth of longevity of persecution. Respect for the raw truth and remorse though, i genuinely believe Stan is a good guy that made one mistake under a mist of jealousy and drink.

Made a miatake. Articulatws himself well and believe he's genuinely sorry. The ones that won't forgive are most likely the ones that have not been perfect themselves.

Great video Stan

It’s not about your race it’s about WHO you hit...I don’t know Bartons or Gazza’s misses, but the whole uk knows ulrika Johnson.

Still the best radio I've ever heard was Stan losing it completely after a caller said he " was bonkers",talking about football, not mental health.Whatever anti depressants he was on I bet he was grinding his teeth too!

I’ve always believed the old adage ‘never hit a woman’. However having suffered at the hands of a violent ex, and over the years heard similar tales from my male friends, I now think that saying needs adapting to ‘unless you are hit or provoked by a woman.

always liked stan

Talking about being reminded of it on twitter everyday "if that's not punishment enough I'm not sure what is". How about jail time? Twitter is no punishment whatsoever he can delete it anytime he wants

Could listen to Stan collymore all day, love the guy

It is because of his personality and he does pull the race card.

hard to not agree with the guy, but i think the thing that goes against him is just how big the news story was when he hit Ulrika it was all over the news

If Gazza wasn't ridiculously talented people wouldn't like him.

Full respect for Stan (even though he's a red). Deplorable acts by all mentioned, including the interviewee...he didn't (and hasn't) however try to brush it under the carpet. Stand, have courage, be judged. That is all.

If we went through life apologising all the time as certain people would have us do then we'd never learn and grow as humans. I think I know who's grown as a human out of Stan, Joey and Gazza.

Stan has been punished enough. The only reason it continues is because Ulrika was just as famous. If it was some random girlfriend people would have dropped it. Violence is wrong but people aren't perfect.

Gazza had a personality and isnt a whiner and wouldnt try and play the race card even if he did feel skin colour an issue.

Spot on Stan!

Just don't hit women then no one will say anything.

So would you have Ron Atkinson on your radio show, 20 years in from him using the N-word but then apologised for it? I doubt you would, but you then expect it all gets forgotten about for you and you bring up Barton and Gascoigne like two wrongs make a right....good one

But Stan if you do the crme you do the time . Comparison is not a positive way to live

He's definitely got a point. To be honest with Gazza, I had forgotten about his domestic abuse. It's all been about his drinking. But I think Stan has a point, why is he constantly being tagged with 'the man who hit Ulrika.' ?

Loads of people have hit Ulrika ,but some have struck her!

I wouldn't say its a racial thing ,I think its because jonsonn was one on the biggest names on TV at the time ,if your gf was someone no one knew ,it would have been different

Mate i hear you, well said , think its the same for all ethnic and religious backgrounds in this country .sad . Im white english by the way x

All respect goes to Stan but Gaza is is probably seen in a slightly different light because he was a much better football player, did more when playing with the England shirt, hence called a legend. Nothing to do with race imo.

Sorry Stan but it IS your personality .... There is just something about gazza and even Joey that are likeable in some way but as much as I try, there is something about you that stops me from finding you likeable in any shape or form.

Don’t think it’s race related i think it’s just because they were both “celebrities” and he did it in a public place

Top man, great to listen to. He made a mistake years ago which he's paid for. What is the point in apologising over and over again if it's constantly brought up time and time again.

the difference between him and Gazza was Gazza was a good player. outside of violence why should he be commenting on other players? he had about 2 or 3 reasonable seasons in his whole career.

Some very well made and articulate points. I’d say it’s the arrogant personality and tone that is the stumbling block. I’m not saying he is arrogant as I don’t personally know the bloke but that’s how he comes across a lot of the time.

Saying others have done worse is simply not accepting you are wrong and taking personal reponsibility. You were a celebrity who punched another female one and that is going to make the front page anywhere. Mentioning Barton and Gazza is trying to dilute he crime !

One of the most talented players in the game, but was never really given the opportunity to reach his full potential, much like Matt Le Tissier, unfortunately he didn’t fit into the box of what a England player was supposed to be.