Caborn urges 'football family' to resolve Hammers row

Wigan, Sheffield United, Charlton and Fulham have all threatened legal action against the Premier League claiming the Hammers should have had points deducted for contract irregularities over the signing of Argentina internationals Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

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Caborn, himself a Sheffield United fan and a former director at Bramall Lane, said the dispute should be kept out of the courts.

The sports minister, speaking after giving the opening address to the Soccerex conference at Wembley stadium, said: "Running to the courts, and the rules of sport being made up by judges, I do not believe is a good thing for sport.

"My advice to the clubs is to resolve this internally inside the Premier League. There are 20 clubs operating as a co-operative and they should be able to resolve their differences.

"Whoever is relegated should be a decision that is be made on the park and not in the courts. Football is able to govern itself - with power comes responsibility.

"I'm sure this can be resolved inside the family of football.

"I would say to all sports, try and sort it out inside the family of sport, that's by far the best way."

The Premier League have written to all 20 member clubs claiming a legal challenge to an independent disciplinary commission's decision to fine the Hammers £5.5million is "bound to fail".

The letter says: "Any challenge would fly in the face of the disciplinary structure that the clubs themselves created and we consider would, as a matter of law, be bound to fail."

It has been reported that a second letter, signed by Premier League chairman Sir Dave Richards and chief executive Richard Scudamore, states the current position on Tevez after West Ham were ordered to tear up the illegal third-party agreement with Kia Joorabchian, the businessman who owns the rights to Tevez, for which they were originally punished.

"The Premier League made it very clear to West Ham that unless it could be satisfied that all trace of any third-party ability to influence West Ham's policies or the performance of its team was removed, Tevez's registration would be terminated," says the letter.

"Assurances were received in a satisfactory form from West Ham. West Ham has assured us that it has terminated the contract.

"It has also indicated that under no circumstances will it regard the contract as binding on West Ham and that it will defend any proceedings brought against West Ham seeking its enforcement."