 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
Sheffield United: Give West Brom points Posted: Sunday March 17, 2002 11:08 AMUpdated: Sunday March 17, 2002 12:42 PM LONDON (Reuters) -- West Bromwich Albion should be awarded the three points following the extraordinary abandonment of their English first division game against Sheffield United, United manager Neil Warnock said on Sunday. Saturday's game at Bramall Lane was called off eight minutes before the end by referee Eddie Wolstenholme when United, who were trailing 3-0, were reduced to six men after three of their players were sent off and two others were injured. It was believed to be the first time an English league match had been abandoned because one side did not have enough players to continue. The rules state a team must have seven players on the pitch. The Football League will rule on Thursday whether to award the game to West Brom or to order a replay. But United boss Neil Warnock, who angrily refuted suggestions by West Brom manager Gary Megson that he had deliberately taken players off to force the abandonment, said the points should go to promotion-chasing West Bromwich. "Sheffield United are writing to the authorities tomorrow," Warnock told Sky Sports television on Sunday. "We believe that West Brom should get the three points in the end." Warnock also revealed he had taken stiff action against two of his players who were sent off. Warnock said Patrick Suffo, who was dismissed for headbutting an opponent, had been transfer-listed and George Santos, sent off for a two-footed challenge on West Brom's Andy Johnson, would probably not play again for the club. "We can't tolerate that sort of sending off," Warnock said, adding that both players had been fined the maximum two weeks' wages. Mass confrontationSuffo was given a red card during the mass confrontation between the players that followed Santos's dismissal after 65 minutes. Substitute Santos had been on the pitch for only one minute when he launched himself at Johnson. Santos and Johnson, who was then playing for Nottingham Forest, were involved in a clash one year ago on the same ground that left Santos with a fractured eye socket and a broken jaw. The Football Association, which is responsible for matters of discipline in the English game, may also decide to act after the ugly scenes at the match and the accusations that followed it. Megson described what happened as 'an absolute disgrace' and said United had ordered some of their players to go off or get sent off in order to have the game abandoned. He also said West Brom would refuse to take part in a replay if the Football League ordered one. United went down to six players as they had already used all three of their substitutes when both Michael Brown and Robert Ullathorne went off injured following the three dismissals. Goalkeeper Simon Tracey was the first United player sent off after he handled the ball outside his penalty area. Warnock described West Brom's allegations as "rubbish, total nonsense," saying he had been given no option but to withdraw Brown or Ullathorne. Records show that Northampton Town had four players sent off in a division three game against Hereford United in 1992 but the game was not abandoned. Last November, a friendly international between Portugal and Angola was abandoned after 68 minutes with Portugal leading 5-1 when Angola were reduced to six men after having four players sent off and one carried off injured. In 1977, Ecuador had five players sent off and Uruguay one in a friendly in Montevideo that was abandoned with the score at 1-1 after 78 minutes. More recently, in Turkey on February 17, four Galatasaray players were sent off during their 1-0 derby defeat by Fenerbahce.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
