Cole reveals tunnel truths

The Arsenal left back gave his own version of events of the television footage that sparked a Uefa investigation and the defender insists the footage was edited to cover up the realities of what really took place.

England secured qualification to the European Championships in Portugal next summer with a creditable draw but both teams were fined by Uefa for their part in the half time melee with the Highbury star insisting the England players were attacked by stewards and that a Turkish player spat in his face.

"It's crazy really because I actually thought that the game, the football on the pitch, was quite clean," Cole told News of the World.

"I wasn't getting any of the wind-ups that I had been expecting.

"The fans were not that hostile and I was loving the occasion. But it was the incident with David Beckham and Alpay over the penalty that set everything off.

"That was the only incident during the game - but it was enough to spark that scene in the tunnel, a scene that I will never forget.

"It was clear that Beckham was being wound up as we left the pitch. The tunnel ahead of us was narrow, dark and very slippery."

The defender went on to say that stewards and officials, the very people at the game supposed to be keeping peace and order, began to goad and attack the England players, while one of the opposing players spat in his face, but was adamant there was no racist taunting involved.

"The real story is that I was spat on by a Turkish player. This guy came up to me and spat straight in my face.

"I was angry and who could blame me for being so? It was a disgusting thing for this guy to do. The lowest of the low.

"People said that some were saying racial things but, for me, it was not racial. It was all started because a player spat in my face.

"I couldn't really say that any punches were thrown or landed, but people were piling in, some trying to get to each other and others trying to break it up.

"As we started to walk down the tunnel the stewards were pinching me and pulling me and I was initially trying to tell them to get off.

"Eventually one of them pinched me really hard and I instinctively turned round and said f*** off. Then another stormed forward and, before I could do anything, a player spits in my face.

"Emile (Heskey) immediately jumped over to protect me and grabbed this bloke. After that, all hell broke loose."