Adam Wharton’s family embroiled in clash with French football fans ahead of Crystal Palace’s defeat in Lyon – with England star’s mum and dad playing peacemakers
Adam Wharton’s family were caught up in an altercation before Crystal Palace’s defeat by Lyon on Thursday night.
In a video posted on X, a group of Lyon supporters chanted La Marseillaise, the French national anthem, at Palace fans on a metro platform while station staff tried to keep them apart.
One Palace fan called it on, urging the provocative Lyon crew to square up to him before being dragged away. Meanwhile, the Wharton clan were front and centre with Adam’s brother, Simon, hurling abuse while pointing and probing at rival fans.
Wharton’s mum and dad, Helen and John – who are regulars in the Palace away end and even have their own chant – played peacemakers during the trouble.
Helen, a PE teacher, drew on her playground conflict-resolution tactics, restraining Simon and urging the other Palace fan to calm down as she tried to stop the skirmish.
The account that posted the video on X suggested the clip was the ‘start of a fight’ in the Metro but ‘everyone was quickly separated by security and law enforcement ’, with the incident beginning with someone ‘barrelling down the stairs’.
Adam Wharton’s family were caught up in an altercation with rival fans on Thursday night
Crystal Palace have been contacted for comment.
Palace lost 3-2 in Lyon, where Wharton captained the side, and his parents were spotted drinking with fans on the afternoon of the game.
Wharton joined Palace from Blackburn Rovers in 2024 for £18 million and has made 105 appearances for the Eagles, winning three trophies.
The 22-year-old has been capped four times by England and was in the Euro 2024 squad but has been named in just two squads during Thomas Tuchel’s reign.
