Official 2012/13 Premier League thread

[DavidMarrio]

But really, what was that 24 quid fine actually for?

A yellow card apparently

Weirdly the fees barely change wherever you are in the footie pyramid, so pub players get similar. We spent most of the Swansea game last week hoping their left back wouldn't get booked, he's only on £300 a week apparently.

Yeh our fines in the league we play in is like 15/20 quid for a yellow card, but then again its Saturday afternoon park football so there is hardly ever any yellow cards unless you call the ref a cunt

[Gazz]

We should start charging Myke £24 everytime he gets booked on Fifa.

[MDK]

That would be awful :<

[Lineker]

A Norwich City player has been fined for carrying a police-style baton in his car.

Defender Sebastien Bassong, 26, was stopped by police near King's Cross in London on 27 September.

At Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in London on Monday, Bassong admitted possessing an offensive weapon.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100 and costs of £85.

The court ordered that the baton be forfeited and destroyed.

Bassong, a French-born Cameroonian international, signed for Norwich City in August for an undisclosed fee and has made 10 appearances for the club.

A spokeswoman for Norwich City declined to comment.

[Pesci]

I'd rather we got Huntelaar as he, from what I read, would be considerably cheaper. Although he's probably too old for FSG.

We've also been linked to Edinson Cavani via his agent in Uruguayan newspapers!

Sadly I don't see either as a realistic signing these days. Schalke have Champions League football and they're 2nd in the Bundesliga, and Cavani is probably the second hottest striker prospect in world football behind Falcao. I think with our budget versatility is key and if there's a way we can buy somebody who can play out wide and up front to a decent degree I'd like us to get them.

[brenchill]

A Norwich City player has been fined for carrying a police-style baton in his car.

Defender Sebastien Bassong, 26, was stopped by police near King's Cross in London on 27 September.

At Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court in London on Monday, Bassong admitted possessing an offensive weapon.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100 and costs of £85.

The court ordered that the baton be forfeited and destroyed.

Bassong, a French-born Cameroonian international, signed for Norwich City in August for an undisclosed fee and has made 10 appearances for the club.

A spokeswoman for Norwich City declined to comment.

Don't most people carry something for protection in their car?

Could have chosen something less obvious, though.

[Colly]

I don't. Do you?

[Hobo]

I'd rather we got Huntelaar as he, from what I read, would be considerably cheaper. Although he's probably too old for FSG.

We've also been linked to Edinson Cavani via his agent in Uruguayan newspapers!

Sadly I don't see either as a realistic signing these days. Schalke have Champions League football and they're 2nd in the Bundesliga, and Cavani is probably the second hottest striker prospect in world football behind Falcao. I think with our budget versatility is key and if there's a way we can buy somebody who can play out wide and up front to a decent degree I'd like us to get them.

The thing that has us linked with Huntelaar is he is out of contract at the end of the season and refusing, as of the moment, to sign a new deal so Schalke would be willing to sell if he won't sign.

[therockbox]

No charge for Clattenberg.

The FA have released a statement in relation to the recent Chelsea v Man Utd game

The FA has concluded its investigation into alleged misconduct by Mark Clattenburg during the match between Chelsea FC and Manchester United FC on Sunday 28 October 2012. No disciplinary action will follow against Mr Clattenburg.

The investigation chronology

Following the conclusion of the match, Chelsea FC reported to the match delegate that two of their players had been separately subject to abuse by the match referee, Mark Clattenburg.

On Monday 29 October 2012, The FA contacted Chelsea FC to establish whether the club and individual players wished to make a formal complaint in relation to the allegations reported to the match delegate.

On Wednesday 31 October Chelsea FC contacted The FA and confirmed that the club had conducted an internal enquiry and that they did wish to proceed with a formal complaint in relation to one of the allegations of abuse. The club did not wish to proceed in relation to the other allegation. The club provided witness statements from two players, Ramires Santos do Nascimento (“Ramires”) and John Obi Mikel.

The details of the allegation were that following one or the other of the red cards issued during the second half of the game, Ramires heard Mark Clattenburg say to John Obi Mikel, “shut up you monkey”. John Obi Mikel did not hear the alleged comment.

On 1 November 2012, The FA requested that Chelsea disclose full details of their internal investigation.

On 5 November 2012, Chelsea FC provided The FA with witness statements from other Chelsea FC players and officials.

On 5 November 2012, The FA interviewed Ramires and John Obi Mikel, using the TV match footage obtained by The FA.

Between 7 and 8 November 2012, The FA interviewed all four match officials.

On 9 and 14 November 2012, further to FA requests, Chelsea FC provided unbroadcast video footage of the game from static cameras.

On 15 November 2012, The FA re-interviewed Ramires to show him the previously unseen video footage provided by the club. At this stage, for the first time, the exact point at which the comment was alleged to have been made was established.

In light of this new information, between 15 and 19 November 2012, The FA interviewed the players who were in the vicinity of the alleged incident, and re-interviewed John Obi Mikel and the match officials.

Chelsea FC was offered the opportunity to provide any further information or evidence that they believed could be relevant to the allegation.

The FA then sought advice on the evidence gathered from independent Queen’s Counsel.

The essential facts found

The evidence for the allegation came from one witness, Ramires. Ramires, whose first language is not English, explained that his instinctive reaction was to seek confirmation from John Obi Mikel as to what the referee had said.

John Obi Mikel, who was being spoken to by the referee, was much closer to the referee than Ramires and did not hear what it is suggested was said to him.

Three other witnesses, i.e. the other Match Officials, to whom everything said by referee was relayed via their communication equipment, are adamant the alleged words were not uttered.

There is nothing in the video footage to support the allegation.

For completeness, but of lesser weight, two other players, whose first language is English and were in the vicinity, did not hear anything untoward.

The decision

Having considered all of the available evidence it was the opinion of David Waters QC, independent counsel, that the evidence of Ramires was not supported by any other evidence. Moreover it was contradicted by other witnesses and does not cross the evidential threshold required to bring a charge against Mark Clattenburg.

Having considered Counsel’s opinion, and in view of all the circumstances of the case, The FA does not believe that there is a case for Mr Clattenburg to answer.

Equally The FA is satisfied that the allegation against Mark Clattenburg by Ramires was made in good faith. It is entirely possible for a witness to be genuinely mistaken and convincing in his belief.

The FA receives and investigates numerous allegations of misconduct over the course of a season. All allegations are properly investigated. It is not uncommon for investigations to lead to no disciplinary charge being brought.

The FA encourages all players who believe they have been either subject, or witness to, discriminatory abuse to report the matter immediately to the match officials on the day. Furthermore, all Participants are advised to report any such alleged misconduct to The FA. In this case, the player and club were correct in reporting the matter to The FA and it was appropriate and proper for such an allegation to be thoroughly investigated.

[Gazz]

Don't most people carry something for protection in their car?

Only myself. I am a weapon.

[stokeriño]

So, a misunderstanding. Hopefully we can close a lid on the Clattenburg issue now and everyone can get back to work.

What are the odds that the BBC Sportsday feed is going to be full of people completely ignoring the following and demanding that Chelsea be punished in some way?

Equally The FA is satisfied that the allegation against Mark Clattenburg by Ramires was made in good faith. It is entirely possible for a witness to be genuinely mistaken and convincing in his belief.

The FA receives and investigates numerous allegations of misconduct over the course of a season. All allegations are properly investigated. It is not uncommon for investigations to lead to no disciplinary charge being brought.

The FA encourages all players who believe they have been either subject, or witness to, discriminatory abuse to report the matter immediately to the match officials on the day. Furthermore, all Participants are advised to report any such alleged misconduct to The FA. In this case, the player and club were correct in reporting the matter to The FA and it was appropriate and proper for such an allegation to be thoroughly investigated.

[brenchill]

I don't. Do you?

Yes, I do.

I carry two guns. One to stop trouble and one to make trouble.

[stokeriño]

1630: BREAKING NEWS

Chelsea's Jon Mikel Obi is charged with misconduct following the FA investigation.

Wait, what?

EDIT: Oh.

Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel has been charged by The FA for an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 in relation to his side’s game against Manchester United on 28 October 2012.

It is alleged that in or around the Match Officials’ changing room at the end of the fixture, Mikel used threatening and/or abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour.

The player has until Friday 30 November 2012 to respond to the charge.

Clearly it won't die quite yet. Love all the "and/or"s.

Accept the charge and move on, Obi.

[Katsuya]

They've also confirmed that they're going to start recording the referee's conversations, but it'll be done privately.

Mikel apparently used "theatening/abusive language" during the match.

[brenchill]

That cheeky little monkey, him.

[Szumi]

Quick, someone charge Machismo! The EWB Association needs to take action!

[Matt]

Have to wait for Blaze to get offended.

[brenchill]

Apparently Rafa was late for the press conference because he still had an hour left of his shift upstairs in the club restaurant.

[Matt]

I wish the Society of Black Lawyers would fuck off.

[MDK]

Racist.