Crucial factor was that it pre-dated him coming here, if it hadn't it would have been a completely different story.
It was only the touchy nature of benefits that this was such a big deal, if he had £6000 of unpaid parking tickets nobody would have batted an eyelid.
Not sure if pre dating his appointment is crucial at all. Unlike players, if any club, or any employer knew of a previous conviction for fraud the chances of them employing that person are slim to none. This isn't about parking tickets BG, it is surely the very nature of the offence itself which makes the issue so serious. If it was shop lifiting, selling snide goods, exchanging a couple of punches down the pub, driving offences, theft, or similar, whilst not fine obviously, none carry the same level of stigma attached to them. Fraud by its very nature conjures up numerous issues of trust, and though it appears DN has made his decision and we will no doubt all support DG, (I know I will, I alwas do) as hopefully he leads the team to play off glory, I just personally think he is a very, very lucky man, and if we were at the bottom of the league, or if it was Drury for example, such is the misguided levels of hypocrisy demonstrated here we would be calling for the gallows to be erected!