FERGIE – ‘UNITED ARE VICIMISED BY FA'

Last updated : 20 October 2002 By editor

From the Guardian:

"I feel it is unfair and that we are victimised sometimes," he said. "It seems that because of the exposure of Manchester United, and the baggage we carry, we are always treated more severely than other clubs."

Ferguson was clearly thinking about last season's disciplinary hearings when the Leeds striker Mark Viduka and Arsenal's Patrick Vieira were charged with elbowing Martin Keown and Jimmy Hasselbaink respectively.

Despite the television evidence that had implicated Viduka and Vieira originally, the FA's disciplinary committee cleared both players.

"Two players appeared before the FA on elbowing charges at the end of last season and both got off," said Ferguson. "People are divided about what is fair and what is not fair. But you have to ask yourself: what is more serious, trying to take out someone's eyeball with your elbow or writing an honest book?

"It's something we have to accept, however unfair it is, because there's nothing we can do about it. If people feel that way about us, including the FA, there is not much we can do about it. All we can do is make sure that we keep the best disciplinary record in the Premiership, which we invariably do."