UNTOLD ARSENAL » Blog Archive » Hull & Blackburn must logically be handed disrepute charges

There is no doubt about what has to happen now. The FA has the report from the ref, and has called for evidence from Hull Spit to back up their claims against Arsenal. These claims are now fourfold:

Cesc spat at the feet of the assistant manager of Hull Cesc was on the “field of play” when he should not have been Cesc was inappropriately dressed

The Lord Wenger did not shake hands with the Hull manager.

If any of these claims are found to be actual offences and are found to be taken place then Arsenal and the player should be notified and a full hearing should be arranged.

But if any of these claims cannot be backed up, then the matter is extremely serious for Hull Spit.

Serious allegations cannot just be made for the hell of it. They impinge on the good nature of the club that is accused, and leave a bad feeling. They can be used to cover up all sorts of other issues, and of course they potentially are slanderous.

If it is found that any of the allegations are either untrue or they have no basis for action under FA rules, then clearly the FA absolutely must take action against Hull Spit in order to preserve the good name of football. To fail to do so would be to bring the game into disrepute.

Considering allegation 2, for example, it is said that Cesc was on the field of play when he should not have been. There is no doubt he was on the field of play – we all saw it – but the question is, is there a restriction on who enters the field of play once the final whistle is blown. If there is no regulation against this, then Hull must be severely reprimanded for wasting the FAs time.

Allegation 3 is interesting because it raises all sorts of issues about the level of control the FA has – does it actually state how players who are not playing should be dressed? I suspect not, for if it did, it might well be considered an unreasonable requirement of trade. Hull Spit must know about such things, and thus if they have raised an unreasonable allegation, again they must be sanctioned. The same is true of Allegation 4 – wherein it is suggested that managers must shake hands. I don’t think there is a rule on that, and so again, Hull are guilty at the very least of wasting FA’s time.

Back with allegation 1, the most serious, clearly Hull would never have brought forward such an allegation without evidence. But if they have done so, then again the FA must take firm action against them for bringing the game into disrepute. I would also hope that Cesc will personally sue the management team of Hull Spit and the club itself.

Further action needs to be taken against Blackburn and Allerdyce, as Allerdyce has now claimed that diving is the fault of the referees. The argument behind this claim is so bizarre it is impossible for me to follow, but I do think Allerdyce should be charged with being drunk in charge of a football team – for I can find no other reason for this allegation. He too should be charged by the FA also with bringing the game into disrepute, and for being a total prat.

(c) Tony Attwood 2009