Having seen the news highlights of the Sheff Utd-WBA game I've been surprised that no one has mentioned it on here.

If anyone hasn't seen it. The Sheff Utd goalie gets sent off early on for handling outside the box, no arguments from anybody.

WBA go two up in the second half and are clearly cruising.

Sheff Utd stick on last two subs (Goalie already on). One of the two had his face smashed by an Andy Johnson elbow last season. Andy Johnson now plays for WBA. The sub launches him self from about 5 yards away from Johnson, at about knee height, feet curled up under him, as he reaches Johnson he springs his feet forward and crashes into his shins. Cantona would have been proud of it. Instant sending off.

The Sheff Utd players hassle the ref claiming he had gone for the ball, in the background the other Sheff sub head butts a WBA player. Another sending off. Sheff Utd down to 8 players.

Suddenly a Sheffield player is injured, can't carry on. 7 players.

Then Ullathorne goes down looks at his ankle and gives a 'ooh that hurts' look and claims he has to go off. Ref has to abandone game as under 7 players isn't allowed.

WBA manager Megson, rightly goes beserk. He says the SHeffield bench were shouting at their players to go down injured so the game would be stopped. Megson isn't happy. He says if the FA ask them to play the game again, he will in future have players injured and allow the game to be abandoned.

The Sheff Utd manager, who I guess is who Megson was alluding to, has subsequently said that the result should stand.

Okay then whay punishment for Sheff Utd ?

When Boro didn't turn up at Blackburn a few seasons ago they were deducted 3 points, ultimately causing them to go down. It could be argued that Sheff Utd actually threw the game, never mind not turning up. What level of punishment is big enough to make this unacceptable. You have to remember the mentality of some French managers, say, and how they may contrive a weak punishment on one side to be a carte blanche for them to do the same.

For me the guy who did the tackle should get a years ban from football. He had only one thing on his mind which was to break the guys leg.

I think the Sheff Utd tactic of taking players off, was worse than anything like "financial irregularities" and that they should be fined enough points to make them relegated.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Answers

appalling performance

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

It's only the revolting cynicism of the thing that keeps it this side of hilarious.

Relegation is the least of the punishments that should be considered. The guy that caused it should be banned from playing for life, but current legislation being the way it is, he'd be straight to the EU whingeing that he was being deprived of his livelihood.

SheffU at least should sack him.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Patrick Suffo has been placed on the transfer list and apparently the other sent off sub has been told he'll never play for the club again. (I'm not sure what the difference is between that and being placed on the transfer list, mind you).

The only prob I see with the FA letting the result stand is, where do you draw the line? Do you only let a result stand if the offending team is losing? If Sheff Utd had been 3-0 up with 5 minutes left but down to six players, would WBA or the FA want the result to stand?

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Just to annoy you all, the FIFA Laws reckon:

Law 3
Intertational FA Board
Decision 1
"...the minimum number of players in a team is left to the descretion of the national associations. The Board [International FA] is of the opinion, however, that a match should not continue if there are fewer than seven players in either team."

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

"Having seen the news highlights of the Sheff Utd-WBA game I've been surprised that no one has mentioned it on here." said macbeth:

"Wouldn't mind the Ar$e being substituted for Sheff. Utd., next Satrurday:

"West Bromwich Albion manager Gary Megson has insisted his side will refuse to play any re-arranged game with Sheffield United after Saturday's clash at Bramall Lane was abandoned.

Referee Eddie Wolstenholme brought an end to the game when it descended into farce after the Blades had three men sent off and two more went off injured as they trailed 3-0."

And us for West Brom of course, 11 v 6!

:-) -- Bud Wiser (budwiser@thegallowgate.com), March 16, 2002."

Said I on Saturday night!

Yet you still found time to nit-pick my non-existent (albeit 'live') Shearer criticism?

;-)

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Howay man Bud...divvn't get the hump cos people are nit picking, that's the one thing this bbs is very good at! feel comfortable with your opinion and don't feel like you have to defend it if you don't want to.....it always works for me :))

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Some tough decisions for the FA there.

First the result of the game. It's not easy is it? A team could conceivably go down to 6 men and not have any sendings off at all or maybe just 1 sending off. To automatically award the game to the opposition in THAT case would be unfair. I suspect that each event (and they are very rare) should be judged on a case-by-case basis. What if there are 7 men a side and a player is injured from the team currently winning 1-0? I can't see a problem in having them play on, but there you go, a sort of victory to the "Last Man Standing" is not what FIFA desires. Certainly in this case I'm sure the result should stand - it would be a farce to replay it and give Sheffield a chance of profiting.

I'm uneasy about relegating the club as well on the strength of some stupidities in 1 match. The individuals should be severely dealt with especially the guy who deliberately attempted to injure a fellow professional. A life ban would not be out of order, a season ban should be a minimum.

I never agreed with Boro's points deduction, but they were monumentally stupid not to turn up for a game and not clear their position with the FA. That was not a decison taken on the pitch in the heat of the moment but a reasoned decision, made by the club, in the comfort of their own offices. Worse I would say than the nonsense perpetuated by some Sheffield United hotheads.

Mind, having reread Macbeth's post, he appears to say, (and I never saw the game) that this was an attempt to deliberately get the game chalked off, and if such is the FA's view then I guess there is a strong case to be made for relegation.

(Some people accuse me of not being decisive - but I'm pretty sure I am decisive - well ok they have a point but - well they might be right, I'm not sure - but I think I am very decisive - I'll get back to you on that.)

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Sure Gav, but there've been 3 examples this weekend of that (I'm not going to bother copying and pasting them), all of which makes me think "why bother?".

I read all the threads, even when I've been on one of my many overseas trips (often from expensive hotel rooms = masochism?), I think I may well revert to lurking or even give this place a miss.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Hey Bud, maybe I should have posted "..... surprised there hasn't been more discussion on here", cos I did see your posting but it was lost in the collective upset that was post-match Saturday night/Sunday morning. Just thought it was worth bringing out again and I couldn't rememeber which of the weekend threads it was on.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Saw in the programme Mac you handsome devil. If I were you (a member of the FLC) I'd be taking some credit for the laxing of the serving rule which means I don't miss part of the game. 3 chairs for Mac

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Tony, the programme was a disaster. We have been desperately trying to get other members of the FLC to write articles for the programme rather than it being seen as just one or two all the time. Under great duress Glenn Jackson agreed to write something. That was what you saw on Saturday, sadly the club printed my photo next to it. Glenn will be gutted !

Although knowing my face was in it may well have increased programme sales.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Suggestions that SheffU got two players to lay down and go off injured are pure speculation. Neil Warnock seemed to have sound reasons for both players needing to go off on 5Live on Saturday night.

It's entirely possible that this was done to have the game abandoned, but it will take some proving - and to what end? Does anyone really think, with 3 players having been already sent off, that Warnock believed the FA would order a replay if he forced an abandonment? Desperate men have done far worse I suppose.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Just heard Megson talking about it, suggesting that if they are forced to re-play it'll set a dangerous precedent. Absolute bollocks. Even a team already down to 9 men is going have a hard time contriving three more players off the pitch. For a start feigning injuries is pointless unless you've already used up all your subs. And then sendings off - are players under those circumstances really going to start randomly headbutting opponents just to get the game abandoned?
I'm not saying the game ought to be replayed - although see my comment above about where you draw the line - but the idea that this could start happening all the time is nonsense. Even if you gave Sheff Utd the points, never mind WBA, I bet this wouldn't happen again more than two or three times in the next ten years.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Why couldn't the injured SU players just sit at the side of the pitch so the game didn't need to be called off?

It is a blatant rule that both managers surely were aware of. If they didn't know it then you have to question whether they are able to ever criticise a referee again. Rules are rules, but Warnock should have made it avoidable by keeping the players on the side of the pitch.

The match will be awarded to WB, without a shadow of a doubt. If it isn't then football is in a VERY bad state.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

in times when there were no subs players limped thro games with broken necks !

Ullathorne looked less injured than Marcelino when he had to go off. It seemed that they were playing to get down to less than 7 but have subsequently realised the error of their ways. Saying that one of the sent off players will never play for the club again, and the other will be transfer listed is definitely a good start. Despite this damage limitation Sheff Utd will be in trouble if the ref states, or implies, that that they caused the abandonment.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Who's this Marcelino blerk?

Oh, and where / how is he?

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

How does one limp with a broken neck?

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002

Come over here and I'll show you :)

As for the original topic - well it seems to me that SU made a decision to substitute their players. From what (little) I know about it, these were tactical decisions. In that case - tough. You make a substitution and subsequently get some injuries then you should accept the consequences. Had the original substitutions been made due to injuries then that would cloud the issue. But at this stage, I'd say tough - better luck next time.

-- Anonymous, March 18, 2002