In a mad panic, Taggart has turned the screws on the legal system to potentially rob nearest title challengers Leeds United of two of their star players. Here's the spin the Beeb are putting on it:

wo Leeds United footballers have been charged with causing grievous bodily harm and affray in connection with an attack on an Asian student. Nineteen-year-old Sarfraz Najeib was assaulted after he was chased from a nightclub in Leeds City Centre in January. Lee Bowyer, 23, and Jonathan Woodgate, 20, were arrested in January and questioned about the attack. The student from Rotherham, South Yorkshire was left with serious injuries. The footballers' team-mate Michael Duberry, 24, and reserve team striker Tony Hackworth, 19, had their bail renewed. Court appearance The players, who were all arrested and questioned by detectives in the weeks following the attack, answered bail at police stations in Leeds. A 20-year-old from Middlesbrough and a 20-year-old from Walsall, West Midlands, who is now also living in Middlesbrough, were also charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Mr Najeib and affray. A 21-year-old man from North Yorkshire has been charged with threatening behaviour. A West Yorkshire police spokesman said all those charged have been bailed to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court on 17 March. Leeds United chairman Peter Ridsdale said in a statement: "Leeds United firmly believes that our players have a personal responsibility that befits their position in the local community. FA statement "If it is subsequently proved that this has not been the case, serious internal action will be taken." The Football Association announced that Bowyer and Woodgate would not be considered for England or England Under-21 duty until the courts had dealt with the charges. The FA released a statement which read: "The Football Association tonight noted with great concern the decision by West Yorkshire Police to charge the Leeds United players. "Clearly, the players will be under considerable scrutiny until that time and we feel it is appropriate they be allowed to concentrate on these serious issues away from the additional pressures that surround international football." Leeds United said both players would continue to be available for selection.

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2000

Answers

So nice to see that nice Mr. Risdale backing his players after being charged with a racial assault...good for him. What is Britain coming to? letting convicted rapists into the country to fight, allowing young professionals to assault minorities and still play for their club. This is absurd, isn't it. Who is pulling the strings here? Lets just say that these Leeds players are found guilty, what then? If not then it would have been a lesson learned. We are talking about four Leeds players (professional athletes) chasing down a young lad and then breaking his F***king leg, who does that? Is this something from the Bigg market on a saturday? Do these animals think they are beyond reproach? What excuse will Bowyer use? We didn't mean it, it was just a bit of fun. This lad has had to give up school so he can recouperate, while Bowyer makes $20,000 a week. This is completley fair isn't it.

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2000

Well, far be it from be to suggest that these lads are guilty before the case goes to court. However, I wonder what the club has at it's disposal to punish them if they are found guilty? Certainly more than fining them 2 weeks wages! I presume the 2 weeks wages thing is for internal club matters. But for criminal matters, I would have thought stronger sanctions would be available.

How would you think if it was a Toon player? Or one from Newton Heath?

-- Anonymous, March 14, 2000

They're up for GBH which I would have thought was a prison sentence, I think this is what big Dunc got his 12 weeks in Barlinnie for. For Dunc it was a case of having had two yellow cards and a final warning already so he couldn't really complain, and it was a televised GBH which didn't help his case too much.

Leeds could dismiss the players, as any company can, although I'm sure they wouldn't want to lose out financially. Maybe as with Dunc they'll just look to off load the player as soon as someone comes along with an offer. Sunderland are always on the look out for good thugs so I guess you'll see Peter Reid in offering a million for the pair of them.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

I would struggle to support them if they were Toon players and had done something like this. Notice the article doesn't mention a racial attack anymore - is that becaause of Duberry's involvement?

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

I didn't think football could get any lower.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

How would I feel if they were Toon players? It wouldn`t matter who it was, I would like to see them drummed out of the club if they were proven guilty. Always assuming the facts are as reported, it is a disgrace.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

Firstly....don't get me wrong, I am not defending these two, in my opinion you can not defend thuggery, whatever form it takes and whoever perpetuates it, be they unemployed kids from Scotswood, professional footballers with thousands of poind in their pockets or anyone in between, but the bottom line in this case is they have been charged with Grevious Bodily Harm (GBH) and Affray, so why are people still playing the race card!

Simply because he is an Asian and they are white.....that I'm afraid is a tabloid kneejerk load of claptrap.

I work with someone who was recently beaten up and robbed by two West Indian guys in Notting Hill Gate, but the police refuse to investigate it as anything other than a run of the mill mugging and robbery. This despite two independent witness' testifying to them that the only thing said to her was "let go of the bag or I'll stick you you f***ing white bitch" - sorry, I'm being personal here, but when are we going to get real and balanced with these things.

Don't fall into the tabloid trap.

To pin my colours even further up the mast......IF these two are found guilty by a court of law, then I sincerely hope they get a minimum six months, if not more....I don't know what the top penalty is for GBH and Affray....but lets get the court case first and find out if they are as clearly guilty as some people seem to think thay are.

There we are....rant over.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

The media in Yorkshire are still referring to it as a 'racist attack' although they have started putting a covering 'alleged' in front of that. I would have thought that it could only be termed a racist attack if the main impetus behind them chasing the poor lad around central Leeds and kicking him the to the point of unconciousness, was the colour of his skin. As no one seems to know yet why they did it, the racist angle is just a bit of sensationalism.

Of course the police have to look into that angle. As the Lawrence inquiry showed, too often racist attacks are treated as mere punch- ups. But that doesn't give the media the right to pre-judge. There seems little doubt about Bowyer & Woodgate's involvement in the violence but as for their reasons, only they know. The guy's race may have had no bearing on it at all.

I hope they get life and Leeds are docked enough points to see them relegated:-)

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000

I would just say that screaming from the mob for a hanging instantly gets my hackles up. Thuggish behaviour from footballers has been going on for years, comments such as what is this country coming to are a little misguided to say the least. We know so little about this case and as for the press and media, they are pathetic and we should know better having suffered at their mendacious hands. Just remember the only thing around that is Black and White is NUFC.

-- Anonymous, March 15, 2000