Spurs fan who hurled BANANA at Arsenal’s Aubameyang insists: ‘I swear, I am not racist'

Averof Panteli, 57, admitted chucking the piece of fruit after the Gunners captain scored the first of his two goals in Arsenal’s 4-2 derby win over Spurs.

The van driver told he chucked the banana skin after a nearby child had finished eating it, reports the Sun.

He said he lobbed it at Aubameyang  without thinking of the potentially racist implications.

The grandad-of-two said he “swears on his kids lives” he is not racist.

He said: "I am not racist whatsoever. I am actually a Greek Cypriot. I am 100% not a racist. I swear on my kids’ lives that I am not that kind of guy.

"I apologise if I have offended anyone from both clubs, especially Tottenham.

"It was a mad thing I did and I never meant to offend anyone in any way. I never meant anything by it.”

Panteli accused Aubameyang of “gloating” in front of fans just ten metres from the stands.

ARSENAL: Spurs fan Averof Panteli was arrested and charged over the incident

The van man said: "Without thinking, I picked up this banana skin from the ground and threw it on the edge of the pitch.

"I didn’t throw it at the players. It was just on the edge of the pitch.”

"I am not condoning what I did and I regret it already."

He intends to plead guilty to throwing a missile on the pitch when he appears at Highbury Corner magistrates court on December 18.

DERBY: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was unimpressed by the incident at the Emirates Stadium

BANANA: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had just scored when the fruit was thrown

Panateli, from Norwich, said he phoned club bosses to apologise, but the lifelong fan is now facing a lifetime ban.

He said: "I do not have a criminal record and I have never been in trouble with the law in my life.

"The only thing I have ever did was run on the pitch at Spurs when I was 14 and I got chucked out of the ground.”

Police accepted the offence was not racially motivated, he said.

LOBBED: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored two goals as Arsenal beat Spurs 4-2

After the incident, Aubameyang posted a picture of himself standing over the banana skin.

He then wrote on Instagram: "#Why'sManDoingThis?"

Charlie Watts, 26, of Goldring Court, St Albans and Jason Gannon, 36, of Gargery Close, Gravesend, Kent, have also been charged with throwing missiles on the pitch in separate incidents.

Paul Wright, 41, of Talbot Place, Bexley was charged with a public order offence and has been bailed to attend Highbury Corner Court on Monday, December 31.