Burnley boss Sean Dyche’s thoughts on Eric Dier confrontation and abuse from supporters

Dier was filmed making his way into the home fans, leaping over advertising hoardings and then climbing over seats, before trying to make his thoughts known to a supporter, who is believed to have had an exchange of words with his brother.

Players and managers up and and down the country have been asked their thoughts, as to whether that sort of incident was coming, and Dyche revealed he had had to tell some fans to stop their abuse of him on two occasions this season.

Dyche said of Dier: "I don't know the ins and outs of it other than what we have seen.

"You manage a group of people, but they are people, and everyone has a moment when enough is enough.

"I don't know the details, but if you think logically for a player to feel the need or urge to do that, then it must have been something serious, what was said or around about said.

"I have seen some of the footage.

"You are asked to manage the un-defineables, and human beings have a moment, and if that moment goes too far then there is a reaction.

"In the bigger picture then where does it live? What level of abuse is allowed, provided there was some.

"What level is acceptable? You pay your ticket and have your say, and we all know that and that has been around for ever, but what level is enough where you go 'no that is too much.'

"I have had it twice this year, only twice in a long time, and I am pretty thick skinned.

“I have had a number of jokes said about my hair colour as you can imagine, and I have heard them all.

“People still shout things they think I haven't heard, which always amuses me.

"Twice this season I have thought it was too much, and I have said to the person, not using any expletives, 'that is enough now' when it has gone too far.

“There are children in the stands as well.

"We have to try and watch our language as well on the sidelines, which is not easy, but I don't know where the lines are.

"On this occasion a player has decided that enough is enough."

Dyche was loathe to make a song and dance about his experience, and he underlines that it is two instances out of over seven years in charge of Burnley.

But is he surprised it doesn’t happen more often?: "I don't know about that, and mine is two instances in thousands of very good moments with supporters, both around stadiums and outside stadiums and when I am with my family and stuff.

“Most people are really good and they just want a chat and a bit of fun. It is only two moments I have had.

"The idea of trying to control it I don't know, where does some of the social media stuff that we hear, amazing tool that it is in many positive ways, but there is some bad stuff out there.

“When does that go into the moment of truth and someone in a stadium saying that and not just on a phone or a tweet.

"I don't know how you govern it or manage it, but on this occasion it has highlighted where a moment goes too far.

"I don't know what was said or what was gesticulated or what happened, so I don't know what tolerance there is.

"It just goes to show that people do have a tolerance, even footballers, and enough is enough."

The abuse of Dyche, from opposing fans, didn’t stop when he asked, although he made no complaint to stewards.

He said: “I just said 'enough, that's it. Don't be carrying on like that'. You can imagine the level I'm talking about, by the way.

“I've heard a lot in stadiums so it wasn't just like a couple of things, it was enough where you go 'no, no, no, that's too much now'.”

The abuse got personal,and Dyche added: “Yeah, but that's commonplace, but sometimes it's tongue-in-cheek personal and you know the difference.

“I've been around football all my life so I know the difference between when it's tongue-in-cheek and when it's too much.

“Don't make a big drama of it but I just thought it was relevant to mention.

“Twice in all my time that I've been in management.

“When you're a player you always get a bit, and that's different.

“But in management, it's only twice, which I'm not crying about, but it's probably a measure of how it's changing.

“There is probably a level where we all understand that you pay your money and all that, but there comes when that can't give you carte blanche to just say literally whatever you want to someone,

“I'm not sure that's quite right.

“So then you say 'who's governing what, who's having a look at what?' Because they've obviously governed songs, certain songs in stadiums now don't happen or occur anymore, so which part are you governing?

“If that's a bigger picture or if it's one-on-one does that make it alright. I must make it clear there's no drama from my point of view, fans have been very good to me, home and away.”