I thought the FA were going to look into his tantrum after we beat them down there. The silence is deafening. His behaviour was a disgrace and if that was not 'bringing the game into disrepute' I don't know what is. I heard somewhere, maybe on SKY before the match on Friday/Saturday that Bobby had questioned how come this had still not been dealt with. Can we call for action to be taken, start a campaign and get his arse the long overdue kicking it deserves? Justice needs to be done!

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Answers

The hearing is meant to be this week. Whether that is this week as in the next four days or this week as in next month is something I don't know.

I bet he gets a hearing after the season has ended and gets a 6 match friendly ban.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Thanks for that Paul. Minimum of 3 matches and a heavy fine. Anything less would be a travesty, mind I hope for more. Arsen W**ker should get a reprimand as well as I remember him defending Henri after the outburst. How can a manager appear to condone that kind of behaviour and not get carpeted for it. Bobby would certainly carpet any of ours for such an outburst. Why has it taken so long for the FA to act on what was a serious breach of conduct by a player on a official? Whole thing stinks of London Club in CL, David Dein, leave it a while and people might forget. Stinks I tell you.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

I would laugh so much if the FA shocked the football world by giving Henry a 15 match ban or something ridiculous like that (which isn't THAT ridiculous when you look back at the game)

Sadly it would never happen, as Arsene Wenger's head would probably explode with ideas for excuses and future whinges and the FA can't afford to have all the games called off next weekend.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

They didn't seem to miss him on Saturday, so even if it's sorted by tomorrow, it won't make me feel any more confident for the cup game.

Not saying he shouldn't be given a lesson he'll not forget, but I can't see his absence making our job any easier.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Funniest thing about that whole affair was that apparently he thought the ref was someone else.

-- Anonymous, March 04, 2002

Player is cited for offence/report etc, astute managers and YBR will do the same,check out the date of the hearing , might be once per month , await outcome and depending on fixtures they may decide to lodge appeal to have said player availible for crunch game etc.

Example Bobo Balde of Celtic is found guilty of elbowing after video evidence is used . Prior to this Martin O Neil went public and said the club would be if found guilty disciplining Balde internally and would in fact go along with the findings. The committee changed the goalposts, moved the hearing two weeks forward , the player was found guilty and would miss key games. O Neill then appealed as is right thus delaying the sentence till next meeting where it is obvious to all that nothing will change. Morals on display here , or would we encourage Bobby to do the same if Bellamy for example was involved and would not be availible due to suspension for Arsenal/Liverpool. Nah they would go out of the window and we would utilise the system to ensure that he was on the park, shades of Wagner!!!!!!

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Someone remind me, what position does David Dein hold in the FA.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Leeds did the same this season - kept putting the hearing off as their officials couldn't agree dates to attend a meeting with the FA. Simple delaying tactics and the FA are so inept that they won't put their foot down and demand attendance. I mean, if you have to go to court you don't keep putting it off at whim do you? You turn up because you're told to.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Good point, Lynda. Of course Arse are going to delay as long as they can get away with it. So would we, so would anyone in the situation. It is up to the FA to show whether they're serious about punishing disciplinary problems.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

From Sky Sports:

FURIOUS FERGIE FIRES FIRST SHOT AT GUNNERS

Sir Alex Ferguson has launched an attack on title rivals Arsenal over the delayed FA hearings of Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira.

The Gunners duo appear on separate charges on Wednesday and could face bans of up to three matches if they are found guilty.

But Ferguson is claiming foul play and insists Henry and Vieira, who are both answering cases from matches in December, should have had their hearings - and any subsequent punishment - already.

He said: "If we win the title we will have done it in the right way. Arsenal have been very clever in delaying the hearings for Henry and Vieira.

"It's amazing that they haven't been brought to book yet. They've been clever because at the time of the incidents they might have got more than a three-match suspension for what they did.

Ferguson, firing the overdue first round in race for the Premiership, also believes that the time gap between Henry's initial outburst at Graham Poll, on December 18, will work in the Frenchman's favour.

The United boss insists that if one of his players had behaved towards an official in the same way, they would have been hit hard and fast by the FA.

He said: "Had it been a Manchester United player who did what Henry did it would have been Sing Sing (an American prison) for him. But, nearly three months after the event, it's all forgotten.

"They'll say that all he did was argue with the referee. They've delayed it very cleverly but it may come back to haunt them. Sometimes you can be too clever."

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

Saw the same comments in a piece on Sporting Life, but it was fleshed out with something about a hearing taking place today and that if the FA decide to ban Henry, it would start this weekend. Havent' seen that mentioned anywhere else yet.

There was also some stuff speculating on the reason for the delays having to do with EU law, and that the FA was going to look into changing their own policies.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002

The monumental hypocrisy of a man who got off a speeding charge by claiming he had diarrhea! Fergie obviously suffers that at both ends.

-- Anonymous, March 05, 2002