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FA facing United storm over Chelsea pitch row
Andrew Hodgson18.12.08
The Football Association are on collision course with Sir Alex Ferguson and the Old Trafford heirarchy after they released the full details of their report into the ugly pitch confrontation between Chelsea and Manchester United staff.
The report, which gives a full account of the evidence heard by the FA panel before handing out a four-match ban to United's Patrice Evra, is damning of United's version of events, describing them as "exaggerated" and "inconsistent".
The severity of Evra's ban, given for his part in a post-match brawl with a Chelsea groundsman in April, has already angered Ferguson but the FA's decision to make the full report public, as a move towards greater transparency, will upset the club even more.
Ferguson has already clashed with Soho Square officials this season after being handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £10,000 after admitting a charge of improper conduct.
The 66-year-old came on to the pitch to remonstrate with referee Mike Dean after the win over Hull in November and later claimed the FA were "dying" to find him guilty.
David Gill, United's chief executive, is expected to take up the Stamford Bridge affair with FA chairman, Lord Triesman, who has travelled to Tokyo where the champions play Gamba Osaka today in the Club World Cup.
In the FA report released last night, United assistant manager Mike Phelan has been branded as unimpressive and unreliable.
Part of United's claim was that during the brawl, which the FA panel concluded Evra was responsible for starting, Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell used racist language towards the Red Devils defender, something he strenuously denies and was rejected by panel chairman Nicholas Stewart QC.
In his case notes, Stewart outlined major inconsistencies in the two written accounts submitted by Phelan prior to verbally giving evidence.
“Even before the hearing we did not feel able to place strong reliance on this evidence. Mike Phelan did not impress us,” read the findings.
The report claimed that if Phelan and then goalkeeping coach Richard Hartis had heard the comments Bethell was alleged to have made, it was implausible no-one else, specifically two black members of the Chelsea ground-staff close to the scene, would not have heard them and reported them.
“Aspects of this evidence raise questions about the reliability of their claims,” the report states.
It is a damning verdict, only increased by the assessment of Evra's conduct, which is said to be “unnecessary and gratuitously aggressive”.
Evra claimed he was worried for United coach Tony Strudwick's safety and barged into Chelsea head groundsman Jason Griffin, who was carrying a pitchfork at the time.
The panel felt Evra's contention was “ridiculous” and the physical intervention that followed “could not be justified”. It was that first attack which started the fracas and led to Evra being given a hefty ban.
Evra last night denied any wrong doing and insisted he had not struck Bethell.
“I am very angry about it because I didn't touch anybody,” said Evra. “Yet I have a four-game ban.”
Evra is part of Ferguson's squad in Japan. However, having served a one-match ban against Tottenham last Saturday after reaching five bookings for the campaign, he will not now be available until 11 January when, ironically, Chelsea visit Old Trafford.
Reader views (8)
Alan, Kerry you both sound so very, very bitter towards United you really should get out more.
United - Champions of England,Champions of Europe and Champions of The World.
- Phil, Manchester
Does this mean, as in all other cases where Fergie is upset, that he will refuse to speak to the FA?
Should make any tribunals he has to attend rather interesting.
Once again Man Utd cannot accept that just once in a while they will be treated like all the other clubs.
- Barry Chapman, Welwyn England
Kerr, Purley
In your rant you forgot to mention that they are Premiership champions and winners of the champions league.Drive a bit recklessly kick and abuse, maybe, but spit? never, thats an Arsenal and french speciality along with all the others you mentioned. Of course you would never see Arsenal, Chelsea, or liverpool behave like that, would you Kerry? I suggest you open up those Purley gates and get out a bit more.
- James Hennessy, london england
Do I detect the same anti- ManU ranting amongst our dear readers as the FA appears to have?
I wonder why that is.
- Gordon Edge, Cambridge; UK
Was the Chelsea incident any worse than Arsenals behaviour on two occassions at old trafford when keown and Co lost their heads completely with a five man assault on Van Nistlerooy and Wenger chucking pizzas at Ferguson.Take off the blinkers guys and come in to the real world.
- James Hennessy, london england
Are they saying that Man United officials lied to a quasi judicial commitee? if so aren't they guilty of perjury, shouldn't they be brought before a criminal court for trying to pervert the course of justice?
Nothing will happen of course because Man U officials and players can stamp, kick, abuse, spit and hit people. they can abuse drug testing, speed, drive recklessly and make spurious claims without restraint, and they have been getting away with it for years
- Kerry, Purley
Mark Clattenberg dared take Fergie on and send him off last year; the result? Just the day before he was to referee the community shield match, he was removed as an FA Referee, because of his personal business being in bad shape!
All media reported the next day that Fergie Threatened Steve Bennett by saying "do you think our fans will let you leave the stadium alive" against Manchester city over a year ago, but Bennett never dared report it, and all became silent. No wonder he was so intimidated in United's last match agains Wigan, when he pretended not to see Ferdinand's blatant penalty, gave a made-up penalty to United, and refused to send off Scholes when he so obviously had no other choice.
Fergie made a pact with Moyes to forbid that GK Howard played against Man U, which would mean an obligatory point deduction, but the matter was again hushed up.
The Fergie "don" factor is bringing the fairness greatest league in the world to total disrepute!
- Alan, Guildford
Amazing, you wonder who should be afraid of whom?! Careful FA bosses, you may wake up with a head of a horse in your bed!
- Arian, Guildford
