PFA leader Powell calls for zero tolerance towards abuse of referees

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PFA chairman Chris Powell used the Player of the Year awards dinner to demand a change in attitude and called for guilty clubs to be docked points.

The 38-year-old Charlton defender even picked out Ashley Cole and Javier Mascherano for censure over the high-profile incidents that highlighted the failure of the FA's Respect campaign in the professional game.

Powell called for the PFA, referees' association and FA to mount a "zero tolerance" campaign with stronger punishments for offenders and only captains allowed to talk to officials.

"If we have zero tolerance towards abuse of referees it would stop," he said. "If they lost three points it would stop. The Chelsea v Manchester United match on Saturday was such a game of importance. If you said to those two teams that their behaviour would cost you three points, you know for a fact those players wouldn't do it.

"It is a game of emotions as well as physical ability. At times it does overspill but we need to give referees a chance."

Two incidents provoked Powell's speech at a celebratory dinner where Cristiano Ronaldo won Player of the Year and Cesc Fabregas Young Player of the Year.

The first was when Chelsea full back Cole turned his back on Mike Riley and the other when Liverpool's Mascherano was dismissed for abusing Steve Bennett.

"I just thought there was a watershed moment this season with Ashley Cole and Mike Riley's stand-off at White Hart Lane," he said. "Then four days later Mascherano and Steve Bennett's running battle until he got sent off just before half-time.

"I just felt that those two incidents showed our level of conduct has really fallen to an all-time low."