MULTI-MILLIONAIRE football boss Glenn Tamplin said an online comment suggesting a fan should kill himself was just “banter”.

The Billericay Town owner's outburst came after criticism of the club’s newly decorated dressing rooms at the AGP Arena, which have been decked out in a bold lion motif.

In response to photos posted on Twitter by Mr Tamplin, a fan wrote: “Stop the world, I want to get off.”

Mr Tamplin then hit back with: “Tall building or fast train fella…just jump if you had enough.”

The tweet was subsequently deleted.

Echo:

Mr Tamplin told the Echo: “I get more Twitter hate than anyone I know. Three out of five messages are abuse. If you read that comment as a message to kill himself…that comment is banter going both ways.”

When asked if he could see why others might not see it as “banter” he hung up.

A club spokesman said Mr Tamplin says he shouldn’t have said what he did, but he’s been trolled and abused "for months".

In a statement, he said: "The sensible thing which I do daily is to block these individuals and I have blocked thousands of others.

"Three in five are hate messages attacking me personally or my family and sometimes it’s as low as stuff about sleeping with my wife, and vile abuse against my mother.

"What human being wouldn’t react to hate messages now and then?  I tried to commit suicide years ago myself and have employed eight street pastors at Billericay Town FC to help kids with depression because I know how desperate it can be for youngsters.

"All I am guilty of doing is building a football club, bringing the local community together, employing good footballers and providing jobs and helping children with disabilities

"I’m a good man and I help others, my heart and soul is in BTFC and yet I’m meant to accept abuse and not retaliate.

"I’m the kind of bloke who isn’t in the business of criticising or running other people down.

"But show me a man who wouldn’t react occasionally."

Mr Tamplin, who made his money in the steel industry, is a born again Christian but he claimed online that does not stop him from responding to criticism.

He said: “I may be a born-again Christian but that don’t make me a doormat.”

He later tweeted: “Consider this account suspended completely had enough and won't even open this app until I win the league Haters Go hunt someone else down.”

Other Twitter users condemned the comments.

One said: “Billericay Town owner and manager Glenn Tamplin there, telling someone to commit suicide. What. A. Guy.”

Another critic said: “Born again Christian @glenntamplin recommends suicide to someone. This man really has no class and a slew of internal conflicts.”

Aaran Flanagan wrote: “Billericay owner/manager Glenn Tamplin didn't cover himself in glory earlier, making a suicide gag to a rival fan.”


The FA has previously warned Mr Tamplin about his social media use. He was criticised for replying to "muggy haters" with a tweet containing phone numbers for the Samaritans.

Mr Tamplin has set his side the task of reaching the football league.

Former Premier League stars Paul Konchesky, Jamie O'Hara and Jermaine Pennant now play for the club.