The football was always going to be overshadowed on Saturday lunchtime. It has been that sort of a season. At least, though, another gut-wrenching weekend of tribalism and mud-slinging, some good finally seems to have come from the poisonous atmosphere between Liverpool and Manchester United, and perhaps now we can get back to focussing on what continues to be a fascinating season in the Premier League.

Luis Suárez race row: what the commission's remarkable report tells us about football today

The Luis Suárez findings highlight big failings of the Respect campaign.

View the full story here: The Telegraph

A news article on 2012-01-02 22:22:15 from: The Telegraph

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

U.S. MNT fans watch the USA take on Spain in June.
This month, American Outlaws is hosting a chant contest for fans of the U.S. National Teams.
In an effort linked to the AO Act Above Campaign and U.S. Soccer's Respect Campaign, the goal of the contest is to unite and strengthen U.

Facts fly in Rafael Benítez blitz on Liverpool grievances against FA

Rafael Benítez's exasperation at Liverpool's treatment by the authorities was fuelled by the actions of a certain Mr Ferguson Kenny Dalglish's outburst on Thursday was reminiscent of Rafael Benítez's rant about Sir Alex Ferguson in 2009.

• Kop That: Patrice Evra is just a cry baby, says Gus Poyet http://t.co/HpLHGRHj 23:47:03, 2011-11-17
• Kop That: Blatter has given carte blanche to racism between 3pm and 4:45pm on a Saturday by PFA chairman Clarke Car... http://t.co/hEEyDmlV 23:17:21, 2011-11-17
• Kop That: EXCLUSIVE: Police want to charge Terry http://t.

Chelsea FC kicked off its 2011/12 UEFA Champions League campaign with a 2-0 against Bayer Leverkusen at Stamford Bridge last week. During the match, Chelsea debuted its 2011/12 adidas UEFA Champions League home kit shirt featuring the competition's Starball on the left sleeve and UEFA Respect Campaign logo on the right.

March 6th 2011

"There is a respect campaign in football and I want to know whether we are going to be the only ones that ­adhere to it. I think we have adhered to the campaign in every respect. We have never come out and criticised match officials in an of our games. It is impossible for officials not to make mistakes.

Stamps, Slaps and Simulation Newcastle and Arsenal disappoint on Day One is a post from: Just Football

Ever get that feeling of déja vu? I've got the feeling right now. For the second season in a row I find myself writing an article about Arsenal drawing their opening game of the season, a game which saw an Arsenal debutant sent off and the Gunners perhaps a bit lucky not to finish the game with 9 men on the field.

There's been more player on referee violence down in Argentina again, this time in a 5th Division match between Union San Guillermo and Atletico Tostado, this time the referee made the smart choice of running off the pitch and scaling a fence. Considering that I'm posting this on the eve of a new English Premier League season, makes me wonder whatever became of the England FA's respect campaign.

There's been more player on referee violence down in Argentina again, this time in a 5th Division match between Union San Guillermo and Atletico Tostado, this time the referee made the smart choice of running off the pitch and scaling a fence. Considering that I'm posting this on the eve of a new English Premier League season, makes me wonder whatever became of the England FA's respect campaign.

An Open Letter to USA fans from the US Soccer Federation .
To our U.S. Soccer fans,
After receiving several complaints about unacceptable behavior towards U.S. fans at the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup final at the Rose Bowl, we felt it was necessary to address this issue directly with our supporters.

The middle of the summer always brings about the "silly season", that time of year when, with parliament sunning itself on beaches or relaxing on their country estates, news editors find themselves having to resort to a different angle in their reporting of the news. This extends to the sports pages as well, particularly in years with an odd number when there is no distraction in the form of a World Cup finals or a European Championship finals.

UEFA's Respect campaign is in the spotlight at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final tournament in Denmark thanks to TV spots and stadium messages.

I'm going to deviate from Arsenal for a little bit today, mainly because I'd only be covering old ground if I talked about spineless defeats and potential exits. Instead, I'm going to take a look at the doomed Respect campaign, which has been so woefully implemented both by the FA and officials since it was introduced.

With the final game of the Premier League season looming above us, a relegation cloud for many on the horizon, I'm not nearly as excited as I should be about the final day drama set to unfold. In truth, it has been on my mind for some time now, but having watched some of Manchester United versus Blackburn game on Saturday, the infamous ‘Respect campaign' has forced its way to the forefront of my mind [.

On April 5th, the FA charged Wayne Rooney with breaking Law 12 after he swore following scoring his third goal.

A Sky Sports camera came on to the field of play and Rooney shouted "what? Fucking what?" at it.

"The FA has today charged Manchester United's Wayne Rooney for the use of offensive, insulting and/or abusive language relating to an incident during his side's fixture with West Ham United," the FA statement read.

April 10th 2011
1. Player: Charlie Adam
Game: Blackpool vs Arsenal
Time: 57 minutes

After being fouled, Adam was clearly seen on the TV screen saying "fuck off". The referee is Lee Mason who claimed in his match report from West Ham vs Manchester United that if he had heard Wayne Rooney swearing, he would have sent him off.

April 9th 2011
1. Player: Jermaine Beckford
Game: Wolves vs Everton
Time: 73 minutes

After being substituted, Beckford was clearly seen on the TV screen saying "fuck me" before rowing with David Moyes.

April 9th 2011
2.

RoM is launching "Swear Watch" this weekend following the two match ban for Wayne Rooney. He was charged with using "offensive, insulting and/or abusive language" in our 4-2 win over West Ham.

Referee Lee Mason did not hear the swearing and did not see the swearing but in his match report claimed he would have sent Rooney off if he had.

Rooney was charged with using "offensive, insulting and/or abusive language" in our 4-2 victory over West Ham. The referee didn't see it or hear it, but was forced by the FA to include it in his match report, claiming that if he had heard Rooney swearing, he would have sent him off.

Surely Martin Atkinson heard Pepe Reina swearing on the very same day in their defeat to West Brom?

The Respect campaign is five years old this season, so how's that going? Well, it depends on how you judge such things. The view of the players, as voiced by players union head Clarke Carlisle is that behaviour of players has improved and that there...
This is a content summary. Visit http://www.

STARTERS
MLS Commissioner Don Garber told reporters that the league is throwing their weight behind Grant Wahl for the next FIFA president. Nice one!
dN
Sporting Kansas City's Teal Bunbury took NFL wide receiver Chad Ochocinco to Oklahoma Joes for lunch on Wednesday.

A five-game touchline ban and a £30,000 fine is what the FA handed Ferguson following his criticism of Martin Atkinson in the wake of Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea at the beginning of March. Some would say it's about time the FA took a stand against Ferguson but, in my opinion, this is the wrong way to go about it.

The behaviour of Manchester United's players and officials and executives has now become utterly indefensible.

Never mind the contempt with which Sir Alex Ferguson continues to treat match officials and broadcasters, even the club's chief executive, David Gill, became embroiled in a heated exchange with the referees' chief, Mike Riley on Sunday during United's dismal capitulation to Liverpool.

If you scour the Arsenal blogosphere on a daily basis the name Critic will need no introduction. He's a passionate Desi Gooner like yours truly and has contributed the following piece. I hope you will find it a nice change from my usual analytical ramblings.

It has been a crazy transfer month, with even crazier rumors.

Arsenal 2-1 Everton

It is a shame that such a good fightback was overshadowed so blatantly by some comments by David Moyes, unfounded and damaging comments. Phil Brown did the same, only Moyes seems to moan more.

The offside -

Saha was a mile offside when the ball was played.

The Football Association has taken a radical new approach to tackling bad behaviour from fans and players by launching its own football club Respect FC.

Welcome to Mascot Day. Or perhaps Mascot Week, judging by the alarming rate which which they're hitting the evening news.

A mascot named Deepdale Duck, of Preston North End fame, made a naughty on the weekend attempting to distract the opposition's goalkeeper. He, unnamed, but probably Darren Ferguson, was promptly removed from the pitch.