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Ipswich Town have had a week of good news and bad news. The bad news is that Paul Jewell’s main transfer target Joel Ward turned down the chance to sign for Ipswich and chose to sign for Crystal Palace.

However, the good news is that Ipswich have now made their first summer signing in Macclesfield right back Elliot Hewitt. The young Welshman turned 18 years old on Wednesday and this signing shows Ipswich are heading in the right direction.

Joel Ward put in some very encouraging performances at the back for Portsmouth last season and at 22 years of age he looked like just what Ipswich needed. Many see the club’s failure to sign Ward as bad news but others are actually pleased that the club failed to lure the former Portsmouth man to Ipswich.

If Joel Ward did sign for Ipswich he would have been joining the club for the wrong reasons. Over the last few seasons the Ipswich squad has consisted mainly of players who clearly don’t care about playing for the club and are only playing for the money. Their lack of passion and desire to play for the club was always clear to see.

It was obvious that Grant Leadbitter never cared about Ipswich because he only started to play well when his contract was coming to an end and he needed to sell himself to other clubs by playing well. Joel Ward is not necessarily in the same category as Leadbitter as he turned down higher wages to join Crystal Palace and be closer to his family. However, if Ward did accept Jewell’s offer it wouldn’t have been for the right reasons and it would have showed in his performances on the pitch.

The great thing about this week has been that Ipswich have signed a player who looks like he will be proud to wear an Ipswich Town shirt. Elliot Hewitt is exactly the right type of player fans have been crying out for. A young lad with the desire to make a name for himself and more importantly a desire to play for Ipswich. Picking the gems out from the lower leagues is a far superior transfer policy to what Ipswich used to do when they only searched for players in Premier League Reserve teams.

It seems that Paul Jewell may well have learnt the lesson that other managers have failed to. If he keeps up this transfer policy then there will be a different atmosphere at Portman Road next season. Fans will turn up to the games and see the team play with passion and determination whether they win or lose. It will be refreshing for the fans to see a new attitude within the team after so many years of seeing failed Premier League players lug around the fine pitch.

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A change in the teams work rate and philosophy won’t come with just one signing though.

It is concerning to think that Paul Jewell once named Grant Leadbitter as his Ipswich captain. At the time myself and most other fans were unhappy with the decision as I can’t think of a worse player to captain the side. It can hardly be inspiring for the team to play under a captain who doesn’t care about the club. Thankfully Paul Jewell did strip Leadbitter of his captaincy later on in the season and all we can do is hope that he has learnt his lesson. The next few signings will shape the team for next season and whilst the signings don’t necessarily need be young they need to want to play for Ipswich.

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Arsenal battled to a point at St James this evening, much to the frustration of Arsene Wenger. You did sense that the performance epitomised his side of recent seasons where the football is very pretty but lacking an end product. Gervinho was the one bright spark on the day; however his sending off will mean a three game ban for Arsenal’s big money signing this summer which clearly only added to Wenger’s disappointment.

At FFC this week we have seen a mixed bag of Gunners blogs that include thanks to Cesc Fabregas, £12m reasons to question Wenger’s strategy, while Arsenal must not make the same mistake with Chamberlain.

We also look at the best Arsenal articles around the web this week.

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Cesc Fabregas: Thank you and goodnight

Here’s hoping the press don’t destroy Arsenal ace

Are Ian Wright’s concerns justified?

£12m reasons why Arsenal fans may be questioning the club’s transfer strategy

Will this new transfer strategy see other Premier League clubs follow suit?

Why Arsenal must not make the same mistakes with Oxlade-Chamberlain

The ‘Cesc Fabregas Effect’ transforms future deals

Bremen star’s ‘Come and Get me’ plea to Arsenal

Clearly a blindspot for Arsene Wenger

2 players for the price of one

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Best of WEB

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The thoughts of a frustrated tourist – Gunnersphere

New Signings Imminent? Wenger to begin Spending Spree? Saga draws to a Close.. – Highbury House

Wenger press conference: The beginning of the end I’m afraid –Le Grove

Time to limit players’ wages – Online Gooner

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One Of Us Speaks: The Not A Season Preview Blog – A Cultured Left Foot

Arsenal to replace Nasri with this Marseille midfielder? -Gunnersphere

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Click on Miss Blasi below to see her in all her glory

Never one to shy away from voicing his opinions, Arsene Wenger has been in the news again recently for condemning the FA for saying they will take the ‘strongest team possible’ to the European Under-21 tournament in Demark next year. The bone of contention Wenger has is that this will inevitably mean a call-up for 18 year-old Jack Wilshere, who may have already featured just a week earlier for the England senior side in a Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland on June 4th.

Wenger has noted that;

“Jack Wilshere will play more than 40 games this season and, at 18, you have to be conscious that every time he plays, when he goes into the fight, he has to put in 200 per cent to win the ball. When a guy like him has played 40 games in the season, he needs a rest.”

Whilst also stating that;

‘The FA have to decide if he is in the first team or the Under 21s. Personally, I don’t believe a player ever performs when he has been in the top team and comes back to the Under 21s.’

We are by now, very used to the Wenger take on things, and love him or hate him, he invariably has an opinion. But is he right to be worried about the national team’s utilisation of one of his side’s prize assets?

It seems to me rather demanding of the FA to expect Wilshere to play for both the senior side and the Under-21s, and as Wenger says, the FA should probably make there mind up as to where they want him, not that this is putting Wilshere himself off the chance to play for both. However, I feel Wenger has a point.

This is perhaps not a typical club vs. country row; for starters Wenger has not expressed his dissatisfaction with Wilshere playing for his country full stop, more that he dislikes the idea of a potential summer off for one of his young talents being dashed by two facets of the national side.

I for one, can sympathise with Wenger, because how many times have we seen prodigious young talent have their career’s ruined by overzealous managers and officials, wanting to utilise their talents at every turn? The issue I believe is that Wenger himself is not in control of England’s usage of Wilshere. Wenger can use Wilshere as much as he likes, after all, Arsenal pay his wages, but with the youngster at the mercy of the FA all summer long, the decision is taken out of his control, and right or wrong, isn’t this the crux of the issue?

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If you liked this, then why not check out my blogs, or follow me on Twitter.

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There is a popular belief in society that all the best artists are crazy, for it is only these individuals who have the capability to produce something we’ve never seen or even considered before. What about footballers? Do they have to be mad to be brilliant? Surely the best players are those who can conjure something completely unique on their grassy canvas.

For all their positive attributes, the ‘workhorses’ or ‘no-nonsense’ defenders will only ever be truly loved by their own managers. As fans, our idols are those who dazzle further up the pitch, always flirting with the idea of doing some entirely unconventional. If I were to offer you the choice of a glass of tap water or a brash cocktail – containing equal measures of flamboyance and frustration – which one would you chose? The water is without question better for you and infinitely more reliable but you’ll still find yourself opting for the beverage with the umbrella sticking out of it, because of the unexpected excitement it might bring.

A perfect example is Paul Gascoigne, a player of effortless genius who had the unfortunate ability to match every extreme high with an equivalent low throughout his career. His lust for the ball when others shied away from it was inspirational and that was before he started to weave his magic. ‘Gazza’ is still idolised today, partly because of his exploits on the pitch but also because his off-the-field antics resonated with so many ‘normal’ individuals. You’ll often hear him described as a proper ‘character’ in football, as if he played the lead role in your favourite television programme.

Players like Paul Gascoigne, Paolo Di Canio and even the likes of Tino Asprilla all attracted legions of fans during their time in the Premiership. They were by no means perfect in the way they played football, nor did they dominate at the end of season awards, but they all possessed the uncanny ability to try something beyond the normal realms of comprehension. Instead of looking for the easy option, they would seek the most entertaining one and because they had the talent to execute such unusual moves, everyone fell in love with them.

Mario Balotelli undoubtedly represents the next talented star to blend both the brilliant with the bizarre. The Italian is blessed with flair, pace and textbook technique but he is not adverse to a fireworks display in his bathroom or leaving the house disguised as Feathers Mcgraw. Despite a series of ill-disciplined outbursts, the 21-year-old has notched 17 goals in 31 club appearances this season and deserves credit for carrying the torch in the absence of Carlos Tevez.

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Having endured a turbulent first season in the Premier League with more ups and downs than a typical rollercoaster, an air of doubt has surrounded his future at the club after a petulant display against Arsenal. He certainly lacks the composure of his elder team-mates but when he has the ball he is such a rare and intriguing spectacle that English football would be far less attractive without him.

Elsewhere in the world of football, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both seem able to be exceptional on the pitch without the accompanying acts of ludicrously. Messi may have a tattoo of his mum on his back and Ronaldo may be guilty of pantomime reactions when he’s fouled (and even when he’s not), but these appear futile compared to throwing darts at youth team members or an unannounced visit to a women’s prison.

In fact Messi can be further admired by the way he conducts himself on the pitch, he rarely complains, rolls around on the floor or waves an imaginary card after he’s been fouled for the umpteenth time. His maturity is an example to all young footballers but it will be interesting to see how he copes with the increasingly desperate measures the opposition will employ to try and stop him. Need I remind you of the legendary Zinedine Zidane at the 2006 World Cup.

The very best players compete without any boundaries or limits, they thrive on the adulation of the supporters but when the whistle blows and the lights go out, some will search for that same buzz in those less desirable recreational activities. Perhaps there is an argument that the modern day culture of the sport drives certain players to commit such acts of outlandish behaviour. We as a nation are more than willing to propel players to such dizzying heights of stardom only to berate and criticise them the moment they make an inevitable mistake.

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With sensationalised media coverage and the growing levels of expectation for club and country, players are constantly walking a tightrope of their own success. You may not have to be crazy to be brilliant at football, but some would argue that it certainly helps.

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The notion of standing in football stadiums immediately conjures up thoughts of disasters.

A number of accidents involving British sides have left a permanent scar on the game and resulted in the condemnation of terraces in football stadia around the world.

Of course there are still standing specific areas in stadiums around England and the world but regulations mean that you won’t see legal standing in lets say a World Cup or Champions League game.

Last season over on The Busby Way we looked at the possibility of reintroducing standing at Old Trafford. The terrace at Old Trafford is famous and prior to the Taylor Report in 1990 there were plans for the Stretty End to be all standing with a cantilever roof to link with the rest of the ground.

Of course the idea we suggested was met with scepticism and responses of it’ll never happen but what if I was to say there is a safe way to return standing to football stadiums in England?

When we looked at bringing it back to Old Trafford we cited the German model of ‘safe standing’ and having had the chance to meet Jon Darch from the Safe Standing Roadshow and Malcolm Clarke of the Football Supporters Federation it is apparent that not only is there a market for standing at games but that it can also work.

German football is member (fan) controlled and they believe that standing is an integral part of football support thus have designated areas in stadium specifically for standing and as long as the game is run that way in Germany it will never be outlawed.

But as expected they encountered problems.

In the late 1990s UEFA outlawed standing in stadia that wanted to host European football competitions like the Champions League and the then UEFA Cup so the Bundesliga teams were faced with a problem, how would they convert their standing areas into seating areas to satisfy UEFA regulations?

Hamburg came up with an idea convert every second step in their standing areas into a fold up chair. When folded down it was just a metal step but in event of European football it could be flipped up into a seat.

It wasn’t a popular idea though as more teams chose to go with the ‘rail seat’.

Approved of by UEFA and FIFA, the variositze or rail seat consists of one step or two depending on preference to be stood on, then a rail with seat in front and behind.

The seat can be unlocked and folded out with a key but when in the locked position the rail in front and behind prevents the spectator from being pushed forward and toppling, unlike the danger presented when standing in stadiums today with the low back or even no back chairs.

This railway chair is what the Safe Standing Roadshow want to bring to English football and personally I was sold by their presentation.

The actual ruling behind standing in itself is quite daft, standing is prohibited only in the top two flights of football so League 1 and below can have terraces whilst if you are fortunate enough to be promoted into the Championship from League 1 then your stadium will need renovation.

I find it hard to see the correlation between fan safety and the quality of football you play yet the ruling still stands.

Another interesting point raised was the fact standing is only prohibited at football games. So you may find yourself expelled from Old Trafford for standing at a football game but if you go back the following week for the rugby that Old Trafford can be found to host, the same stewards won’t bat an eyelid as you stand and cheer.

Although attempting to make the game safer the ruling on standing at football games for me does not actually address the real problem.

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When Trafford Borough Council threatened to reduce Old Trafford’s capacity due to persistent standing they commissioned a report to show just how dangerous standing is.

Unfortunately it didn’t quite work out like that and instead the report found:

Jumping up and down when celebrating Squeezing through narrow aisles when going toilet Taking the stairs out after a game

were all more dangerous than just standing during a game.

Most footballing disasters have occurred due to poor crowd control at entry or exit. Very rarely have accidents occurred due to standing during action.

Standing during games is something that will always happen and although stewards will try to enforce it early on very rarely is it strictly adhered to. At the FA Youth Cup semi final first leg between Manchester United and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge we were threatened with expulsion in the Shed End but after a while the stewards gave up and allowed us to stand for the whole 90 minutes whilst at Bramall Lane for the final we were allowed to stand for 90 minutes unopposed.

John Darch and the Safe Standing team believe as fans we should get the choice whether we stand at games, there is a misconception that they are trying to return to the days of terraces but simply they want to give fans the option to stand at games safely and having seen their model for doing so if given the choice I would like to.

Since the summer things seem to have calmed down at Liverpool Football Club. However, with the impending transfer window of opportunity looming, are things set to take a turn?

Milan Jovanovic’s agent, Cvijan Milosevic, has recently admitted that his client could exit Liverpool in the January transfer window. The 29-year-old joined Anfield in the summer on a free transfer from Standard Liege but has struggled to make an impact, with Roy Hodgson limiting his appearances to European games. The Serbian’s situation seems less than certain and it would not surprise me if Jovanovic found his way out of Anfield come January.

Another member of the Anfield squad whose future does not seem all that clear is England International right back Glen Johnson. “Johnson has criticised manager Hodgson’s style of play, slamming Liverpool as ‘boring’ recently, and has duly been linked with a reunion with former Reds boss Rafael Benitez at Inter Milan.” Johnson’s future seems even more in doubt as rumours circulate that Hodgson is interested in recruiting right back Rod Fanni from Rennes.

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Pepe Reina’s Liverpool career also looks to be on slightly shaky ground as the Spaniard has made it clear that he would be willing to leave the club if it meant success could be had elsewhere. Recently Reina made the coy remark “I have a contract with Liverpool, that’s all.” When asked about his future. Is Liverpool’s superb shot stopper on his way out of Anfield?

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Finally, is it the manager himself Roy Hodgson who is set for the Anfield Chop this January. With the introduction of Damien Comolli as Director of Football Strategy at the club has Hodgson’ position at the club been weakened? “It has been speculated that Hodgson’s say in transfer deals will be diminished as a result, with the new American owners also reportedly unimpressed with the former Fulham boss’s recent acquisitions.” Could the recent goings on at Anfield move Hodgson closer to the exit door?

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Chelsea fans, and some players, will be desperate to exorcise the demons of the 2008 Champions League final defeat to Manchester United when they return to the showpiece of Europe’s premier club competition this weekend. The bitter disappointment of that night remains as a constant reminder of the club’s continual quest for the trophy. A win over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena would secure the most triumphant night in the west-Londoners history, but Ruud Gullit has intimated that Roman Abramovich would be just as pleased to see his team defeated.

Andre Villas-Boas struggled to maintain control at Chelsea and after being removed from his position as coach, Roberto Di Matteo was drafted in for the interim. Only expected to ride out an extremely average season, the Italian has surpassed his remit and taken his team to FA Cup glory as well as a Champions League final. He is now one of the favourites to secure the permanent post, and there would be little opposition should the Blues lift the ultimate prize on Saturday. However, Ruud Gullit has suggested Abramovich would be equally pleased with defeat in order to select the new manager freely. He told The Sun:

“I think there is somebody already in line. But will he still want the job if Chelsea win the Champions League? Would even Jose Mourinho want to come in and replace Robbie [Di Matteo], knowing he could not top what his predecessor had achieved? If Robbie wins the Champions League, it would suddenly put a lot of pressure on the next guy. So maybe the owner doesn’t even want to win the final.”

Given the history of the Russian owner’s whimsical hiring and firing of managers there is of course cause for some pessimism. But Abramovich’s sole aim since purchasing the club has been to win the Champions League. If he has a manager who can deliver that, why would he sack him?

Despite a disappointing season, Di Matteo has a chance to complete a double. The last Blues manager to guide the team to such a feat was Carlo Ancelotti in his debut 2009/10 season. When he failed to match that trophy haul the following year he was shown the door. There will be immense pressure to appoint Di Matteo if Chelsea defeat Bayern. Win, and the 41-year-old may get a shot but his reign at would come under severe scrutiny with improvements expected early next season. Surely lifting the title would prove he is worthy of the position?

If the Stamford Bridge outfit decided not to go with the former West Bromwich Albion manager, what other options are open to them? Fabio Capello has been linked to the position but he is out of experience at club level, similarly to France coach Laurent Blanc. Chelsea hired World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari but he failed to translate his exploits at national level to the domestic stage.

Jose Mourinho has also been touted for a return to the Bridge but he has reaffirmed his commitment to Real Madrid and would have little to gain by taking over at his former club so soon. Pep Guardiola is without doubt the stand-out candidate, but his decision to take a sabbatical makes him unavailable for the job. So why not trust in Di Matteo. He has proven to be a hit with fans and players alike whilst also securing the goods.

Chelsea are notorious for meddling in transfers above the head of the coach. Mourinho was explicitly disappointed at the signing of Andriy Shevchenko while it was clear that Ancelotti had little to do with the capture of Fernando Torres. The club’s executives will likely be able to retain control over such areas with Di Matteo in charge rather than a higher profile coach.

Yes, defeat for Chelsea would allow Abramovich more freedom to choose the man he wants to continue the job next season, but realistically he will not be hoping to lose. That is preposterous. Failure is not an option as it would mean the Blues would play no part in the tournament next season. The Russian billionaire is in charge of the club and is not one to crumble under media pressure. He is just a few hours away from getting his hands on the trophy that he so fervently craves. If Di Matteo can supply him with that, he will no doubt be rewarded handsomely.

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What do you make of Gullit’s claims? Let me know on Twitter @thwebber.

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Twitter ’s influence on football is growing ever stronger. Not just can you read about what smug Michael Owen is saying, but you can get closer to footballers in an age where the fan and the player are quite a way apart. Well, now it seems like Twitter is not only giving fans the opportunity to find out more about their players, but it’s also allowing them to have an influence on teams’ transfers. I bring to you the ‘twansfer’.

Ok, that’s a stupid name and one that I won’t use again, but fans of Yeovil Town have actually had a real influence on who the club has bought by airing their views on Twitter. Young Yeovil manager Terry Skiverton asked fans to tweet him suggestions on who the club should buy in the summer, and the ideas came flooding in. A little time later and Yeovil had signed free agent Kieran Agard, a player who had been highly recommended by many fans. So, is this innovative strategy possibly one that Newcastle could use in the future?

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To be honest it seems pretty unlikely. Newcastle pay Graham Carr and the rest of their scouts hundreds of thousands of pounds to search out the best talent across Europe and around the world, and of course their job depends upon how good the players that they recommend are. Sign a few Cheik Tiote ’s and the scout gets a pat on the back, bring in someone like Xisco and you’re given a right rollicking.

However, with all the football that is available to watch on TV and online, there’s no questioning that a lot of fans have a great knowledge of many different leagues. Fans are no longer just going by the stats on Football Manager, we’re actually watching football from around the world, being tipped off by fellow fans and then checking them out for ourselves. Whether that means we could do the jobs of professional scouts, I’m not so sure.

It is a good idea, though, and perhaps the way to go about it would be to see who the fans recommend, then get the scouts to go and watch them for themselves. It’s nice to see a young manager showing a bit of innovation and trying ideas and for smaller clubs who can’t fork out a lot of money on scouts, it might well turn out to be a decent idea. For the likes of Newcastle and other Premier League clubs it’s perhaps a bit far-fetched, but if Alan Pardew asked you to tweet some transfer targets to him, who would you suggest?

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Read more of Tom’s articles at Nothing But Newcastle

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Both teams are doing better than expected so far and, if other results go their way, Bolton could actually move in to a Champions League spot with a win.

It’s a funny old game indeed. Only a point separates the sides but Bolton are certainly on a better run with just one defeat in eight league games.

Newcastle on the other hand have been consistently inconsistent. One thing we can be sure of is seeing plenty of physical forward play. Andy Carroll, 13/2 to score first, will be feeling confident after making his England debut. Johann Elmander, 11/2 to score first, is starting to look as though he hasn’t been a complete waste of money whilst Kevin Davies (13/2) just likes jumping in to people.

Newcastle have some good results on the road so if you don’t fancy going for another draw, they’re a decent price at 13/5.

It’s been another tough week for referees. Well, one in particular. Martin Atkinson took charge of the FA Cup semi-final between Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and after misjudging the severity of Mario Balotelli’s challenge on Alex Song last week, he preceded to draw more unwanted attention to himself by guessing over whether a ball had crossed the goal-line, and guessing wrong. Chelsea went on to win 5-1.

The argument over goal-line technology is almost redundant now, as it seems to be on the way. The FA have confirmed that goal-line technology could be introduced to English football as soon as next season. Two systems are under testing by FIFA at the moment and by July there may be a green light to implement it domestically. Or not.

But balls over lines wasn’t the only talking point, and far from it. Ashley Young will be thanking Atkinson for at least taking a little bit of the exposure off him. Having yet again propelled himself into the air as if he had just detonated a land mine, Young was once more bending the rules for maximum profit. And yet again, fans seem to be confused over the rules of football.

There seems to be this creeping acceptance that contact in a penalty area means a penalty. Never mind that two players contacting together could mean equal blame, it seems that many think touching an attacker within 18 yards of the goal is an open invitation for a spot-kick. Commentators say it all the time. Co-commentators say it even more. Pundits repeat it. Fans regurgitate it. And it’s all utter hogwash. A penalty from a foul results from a trip, or an attempted trip (intent CAN be enough to exact punishment). Standing still and committing the heinous crime of letting a player kick your standing leg is not a foul. Except for the defender, perhaps. And it is so annoying how it has been generally accepted that players can “win” penalties nowadays, be it Ashley Young or Adam Johnson, that somehow this is just part of the game. Well it clearly is, but that doesn’t make it right. Let’s just accept racist remarks, hooliganism and poor-quality burgers if that’s the case. And let’s keep proclaiming that “raising your hands” is an excuse for the referee to send you off. Or the ball touching your hand in the penalty area is a just cause for punishment.

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Back at Wembley, and only a few minutes after Chelsea’s controversial goal, Spurs were back in the game, with a perfectly legitimate goal that still resulted in a slating by some for the referee. A slating due to him doing his job perfectly. As tweeter after tweeter asked why Cech wasn’t sent off, it seemed that denying a goal scoring opportunity still counts to some even when a goal is scored. Go figure. Though Mike Parry, ex of Talksport, still thinks the rule is “last man”.

The rule was brought in to stop cynical professional fouls by defenders. That’s why it does not require a red card for Peter Cech, a decision that logic would suggest would be ridiculously harsh anyway, punishing the defending team twice over. In theory Bale could have deliberately missed the shot and got a red card for Cech and a penalty into the bargain, as was debated by the commentators at the time, but surely not, as even if Bale had missed, he clearly had a goal scoring opportunity. Cech would have been similarly cheated to have been dismissed.

Martin Atkinson was back on our screens and in our thoughts once more in midweek as he hung behind the goal as one of Howard Webb’s multitude of assistants, generally overseeing things and keeping a straight face. Cue more questions from fans about what the point is of assistants behind the goal – they don’t anything, hey, they don’t even have a flag!! And as we all know, no one can function without a flag. So if this is your view of them, then please stop. I’ll leave it to a tweet by the journalist Jonathan Wilson to set the record straight.

FFS. How is this hard to grasp? Goalline officials speak to refs on mics. We have no idea how much or how little they say.

A bit harsh, but it gets the message across. Maybe we should give them flags, just to stop people whinging.

The same game brought plenty of other talking points. Ribery showed Ashley Young and co. a thing about diving, hitting the deck as if knee-capped on a minute-by-minute basis. Then there were claims for a penalty in the first half as he went down after having his shirt grabbed at. That grab however didn’t cause the fall, slight as it was, so I can’t see any problem in not awarding a penalty. But in the second half perhaps Bayern Munich had better claims for penalties after two tackles in the area. This led to the usual guff and oft-quoted assertion that the defender “got something on the ball”, as if this excuses him from any punishment whatsoever. When will commentators realise that you can touch the ball in an attempted tackle and still foul the opposing player?

The rules aren’t easy – a game built on the premise of 17 laws first drawn up in 1863, and given a major revamp in 1997, has 10,000 variations and interpretations of situations, which are tweaked on a yearly basis. Fans can’t possibly know them all, and some follow the game more than others of course, but I would expect national newspaper journalists to have a grasp of them, rather than tweeting to ask why Cech wasn’t sent off (I’m looking at you Darren Lewis). I spent so long arriving at games at the last minute I forgot the first kick had to be forward. Referees make some terrible mistakes, some are just not up to it in my opinion, but they are not helped. The ruling authorities have dragged their feet for years in helping them with the technology available, and they face a double whammy by being slated by fans and journalists alike that can’t even be bothered to check the rules.

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