We need to know who was on the appeals board - names please.

Absoulutely disgusted!

Have emailed the FA. Felt I had to do something over such a miscarriage of justice. Stead is on fire at the moment and will be sorely missed. Anyone who knows anything about Ipswich knows he is not a dirty player just the victim of incompetent refereeing.

People who have read my previous posts will know I have always backed Stead to the hilt and was pleased to see him hit top form so this could'nt have come at a worse time.

Looking forward to that hat trick on his return!

I wish they would use the same 'judges' for appeals by terrorists

Here is my e-mail to fl@football-league.co.uk

Dear Sirs,

I would greatly appreciate you investigating today's FA decision when they decided to penalize John Stead (and Ipswich) with a 4 game suspension for a late one footed tackle that was clearly a foul but was not malicious or dangerous.

These sorts of decisions and associated inconsistency in the interpretation of the laws of the game are not only unnecessarily penalizing players and clubs but are making a mockery of the system. Even the Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock has publicly stated that this was not even a red card offence.

I look forward to learning your opinion regarding this incident and also the appeal process which resulted in the suspension being increased to 4 games because the appeal was judged to have been frivolous.

Thank you

I suspect this is all Tevor Brooking's fault. Who did Stead foul? Freddie Sears, a Wet Sham 'Academy' player on loan to Palace. Disgraceful.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/English-FA-A-disgrace-and-need-sorting-out/2523102

Absolutely ridiculous decision. It was a clumsy, mistimed challenge that warranted a yellow card at the most. And now they've given him an extra game ban! The FA should hang their collective heads in shame.

FA never lift bans after appeals........unless your Man Utd or one of the other huge clubs, its an absolute disgrace. For example, Chelsea (or Arsenal, can't remember which) getting there transfer embargo lifted, while clubs like Portmouth and Plymouth have to grin and bare it......typical bullying of the english divisions by the so called big four! (or should I say big 3 after Liverpool recent slip....and I for one am so enjoying watching them lose)


Anyway, with Stead banned, Priskin, Counago etc will all have to step up to the plate and deliver, its been a shocking season as far as our strikers are concerned with only Stead really scoring goals for us at the minute....he's really on top form, shame hes banned.

COYBs!!

Well done to everyone who has sent an e-mail. Alas, we all know they will fall on deaf ears.

In this country, unless you are one of the "big boys" every appeal is a waste of time. For example, Jon Stead now has a 4 game ban for what was at most a yellow card offence. A few weeks ago Samir Nasri of Arsenal went unpunished for stamping on a Hull player. I'm not just picking on Arsenal because we know that Man Utd and Chelsea get away with a hell of a lot more.

Unfortunately this decision is typical of English football in this day and age.

Yellow at the most what a poxy ref

Whilst I think that it's highly commendable that so many fans are prepared to take time to complain to the FA about this, I think that we'd all be astonished if it actually changes anything.

The statement that "... the Commission felt the claim had no prospect of success." is ludicrous.

Stead looked sharp and confident on Monday, i hope this does not set him back.

We need the other strikers to up there game now. Walters will hold us together up front.

Nice 3-0 came in at 24/1 COYB!

I also complained to the ombudsman but was a little drunk when I did it so no idea what I put

Unfortunately, if the FA are that clueless that they thought it was a red card in the first place, what makes you think that between them they will be able to open an envelope with our complaint letters in?!

(Contact@theifo.co.uk).

Perhaps we should lobby the Evening Star to start an investigation of FA expense claims....

Lisbie coming back!
Ridiculous, who do I contact to complain about this? I want to give them a piece of my mind.

The answer to your question Brogansnose is Yes! An Appeals Court judge can increase a sentence if he thinks that the original one was too lenient. Appeals against sentence a always carry this risk.

In Stead's case they had the following courses of action open to them.
1. They could make a fair decision using common sense.
2. They could make a political decision to support the referee regardless of the evidence.

Their choice was predictable.

I haven't seen the incident but I did hear the Sky Sports team say that the red card was justified.

This is the trouble when you appeal, the club knew that his ban would be increased if the appeal failed.

It is a shame because he was just comoing into some goof form. I hope this doesn't set him back too much.

Just sent email complaints to FL and IFO. Makes me feel better after doing that

I just can't see the justification for increasing the ban. Surely that should only be done if they feel that the offense itself warrants a stronger penalty?

If they believe that an appeal has been lodged when it has "no prospect of success", then the implication is that their time has been wasted - and a fine on the club would be more appropriate.

The FA are an absolute DISGRACE.Would they have given a Man Utd player an extra game ban for a frivilous appeal....I think NOT.
This bunch of idiots could'nt run a bath let alone a World Cup bid !!!....

You could complain to 'offstead'

I refrained from posting a comment until now bevause I was so angry I couldn't keep it clean. I am still angry but can't say much more than those at the FA must have FA between their ears .... idiots.

And those that know me know my feelings towards refs (somewhere in between politicians and dogsh!t).

Talking of which, I like Brogansnose's muckspreader suggestion!

greenkingtone the ban wasnt increased because they thought the original one was leniant they increased it because they thought the appeal had no chance of success which shouldnt be aloud anyway