No-one told us there was a clampdown on two-footed tackles, says Coppell

Coppell, who had no complaints with referee Peter Walton for sending off his midfielder Brynjar Gunnarsson for a violent lunge in Reading's 1-1 draw at West Ham on Boxing Day, said: "Referees were given written guidance to alert them to the two-footed jump tackle.

Managers weren't. Another manager who had a player sent off that day told me the referee told him afterwards there was an initiative instructing him to keep an eye on these challenges and that they must be punished.

"Bryn was stretching to win the ball and a month ago he would have got away with it."

Referees chiefs, however, insisted they are merely enforcing existing policy.

A Professional Game Match Officials Board spokesman said: "The issue of the twofooted challenges was discussed at pre-season meetings the PGMO hold with managers and players.

"They were reminded of the key point surrounding the excessive use of force in the tackle. A player who jumps into a tackle two-footed is not in control of himself and therefore, if he makes contact with the player, ball and player, or if the referee determines there to be excessive malice in the challenge, he will be dismissed.

"There has been no 'clampdown' — referees are simply applying the law as it has always stood."