Blades chief calls for 21-team Premiership

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McCabe has made the radical proposal of expanding the competition to 21 teams next season in order to save both the Blades and West Ham - whom he maintains ought to have been docked points and relegated in their place.

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McCabe was serving arbitration procedure notice on the Premier League today and has also issued a letter to all MPs in an attempt to increase momentum for what he clearly sees as a fight for justice.

McCabe said: "It is up to the FA Premier League to find a way round this exceptional circumstance where a club which has played by the rules has been relegated at the expense of one club who have fielded ineligible players.

"The simple answer is why not have 21 clubs in the Premiership next season and relegate four of them at the end. It is not my decision to make but it seems like a very simple solution."

McCabe is adamant the controversy over the West Ham situation was the primary reason for the departure of boss Neil Warnock, who left by mutual consent after meeting McCabe on Monday.

He added: "I think it was the catalyst. We had arranged to meet the week after next but we brought it forward because everybody was so depressed and so much in despair.

"The outcome of our meeting was that it was probably time for Neil to go mutually. It is probably time for a new manager and the objective we have got at United is to bounce back at the first attempt."

The Premier League are unlikely to be moved by McCabe's pleas, and are adamant they have acted within the very laws to which all clubs including the Blades signed up to at the start of the season.

A spokesman said: "We followed our processes to the letter and we ensured to our satisfaction that the third party arrangements in relation to Carlos Tevez's contract have been terminated.

"We are more than happy to meet with officials of Sheffield United or any other aggrieved club to offer clarification and explanation of this and we have written to all 20 clubs with a forensic explanation of the ruling."