GOAL OR NOT

[Wolfeh]

Football Association exonerate Assistant Referee.



An FA spokesman after the game absolved the linesman of any

responsibility for the apparently mistaken decision not to award a goal

to Spurs after a shot from the halfway line crossed the goal line by at

least a meter.

"The shot came in from an unusual distance and as such caught the

linesman out of position forcing him to race back towards the goal as

the play developed", explained the spokesman, "As he ran, the United

scarf he was wearing under his shirt came loose and fluttered up into

his face obscuring his view and preventing him from making the call. It

was just one of those things."

In response to further questions from the Press the spokesman explained

"If they don't already have a United tattoo most officials on game day

try to wear a scarf or a replica shirt under their regulation kit to

show their support for the worlds greatest club. The linesman in this

case had chosen to wear a United scarf, a common choice that is in

keeping with FA guidelines. The root cause of the problem lies not with

the linesman but with the players and management of Tottenham Hotspur

Football Club who broke one the most important unwritten rules of the

English FA: They placed a shot on target at Old Trafford. Martin Jol is

new to this country and perhaps he's not yet familiar with some of our

finer traditions. Fortunately if he doesn't yet understand that for the

greater good of the game visiting teams, by tradition, are not expected

to try to score at Old Trafford then our officials are in a position to

help Mr Jol make that cultural adjustment."

Chuckling to himself the FA spokesman added "The goal had to be

disallowed to avoid us descending down a slippery slope that would be

bad for the national game. It's a fine line the officials have to walk.

If they award a goal this week, next week someone might expect a penalty

or ask that Van Nistleroy be booked for diving. Can you imagine? That

would just never do. No no no. Shocking, just the thought of it."