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Terry faces a ban for grabbing ref's card
Last updated at 09:08am on 25.09.07England captain John Terry is facing censure from the FA after attempting to snatch the red card from referee Mike Dean's hand during Chelsea's stormy encounter with Manchester United on Sunday.
Dean, who surprised even United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by sending off John Obi Mikel for a challenge that was a yellow card at best, has included the actions of Terry — as well as a number of other Chelsea players and staff — in the report he has sent to Soho Square.
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Flash and grab: Terry gets his hand on Dean's red card as Mikel is sent off
At least four Chelsea players crowded around Dean when he decided to dismiss Mikel for a two-footed tackle and the club will almost certainly be charged with failing to control their players.
Chelsea assistant manager Steve Clarke is also likely to be included in the report after confronting Dean in the tunnel at half time, while Chelsea officials may also be drawn into the controversy after joining Clarke in expressing their displeasure.
Chelsea have appealed against Mikel's red card but will almost certainly fail because FIFA will not allow the FA to downgrade the card to a yellow. Only if the foul on Patrice Evra was not even deemed worthy of a booking could Chelsea possibly succeed.
It leaves Terry and the FA in an embarrassing situation, particularly after the controversy that erupted in the wake of last season's encounter at Tottenham, when the Chelsea skipper clashed with referee Graham Poll.
If found guilty, the FA will again have to take a hard line against the captain of the national team.
Dean has withdrawn from his Carling Cup duties — where he was due to take charge of Tuesday's match between West Bromwich and Cardiff — with an injury collected at Old Trafford. It is his decision to pull out.
Avram Grant will respond to the 2-0 defeat in his first game as Chelsea manager by leaving nothing to chance when his team travel to Hull for Wednesday night's cup clash.
Grant intends to pick a full-strength team and has issued a clear message to his players, saying there must be 'no gifts' for their hosts.
Meanwhile, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich remains keen to present the ultimate gift to fans concerned by last week's departure of Jose Mourinho.
Abramovich is still determined to bring Ronaldinho to Stamford Bridge next summer after failing in the last transfer window — and events at Barcelona should now make this much easier.
The Brazilian was dropped for Saturday's La Liga clash with Sevilla amid reports of him breaking a club curfew and socialising late into the night.
He is now likely to miss Wednesday's clash with Zaragoza and has even come under fire from Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff, who said: 'You can't live off what you have been. You can only live off what you are.'
Reader views (3)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
Absolutely right.
- Kb, London
Has Dean mentioned the Man U players (Carrick, Scholes, Giggs and Rooney) who ran immediately over to him to try and get Mikel sent off? Their actions were the reason why the Chelsea players went over to Dean.
If Dean has not done this, it only shows again that he has issues with Chelsea. First there was the lying about Drogba's disallowed "goal" in the Fulham match, where neither he or his assistant saw what happened and guessed, and then lied by saying that the assistant had pushed the buzzer on his flag - the first and only time an assistant will ever indicate a decision by doing that - and then he reported Chelsea players for surrounding him in the same game, yet ignored the actions of the Fulham players who chased after him when he initially allowed Drogba's goal.
Mike Dean is incompetent and a liar. If he has not reported Man U players then his impartiality must also be questioned.
- Tom, London
His studs looked up to me, and that's why he got the red card. Joe Cole should have gone as well (as should Rooney). Terry should know better, but then you make a thug captain and that's what you get.
- Paul, London
18°c
