English clubs fined staggering £1.3m for ref abuse… with one Premier League side miles ahead of the rest
PREMIER LEAGUE and EFL clubs have shelled out a staggering £1.3million in fines this season for abusive and aggressive behaviour.
SunSport today reveals the astonishing sums collected by the Football Association when punishing foul-mouthed players and managers.
In the wake of Fulham’s FA Cup quarter-final meltdown with three red cards in a mad 40 seconds on Sunday – with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Marco Silva still to discover their punishment – another 54 teams from the 92 have been fined.
Arsenal have paid out the biggest amount in the Prem this season with fines totalling £185,000 while Manchester United and Everton have also parted with six-figure sums.
There are just five Prem clubs which have yet to be charged for poor on-field behaviour.
The FA have issued more than 100 fines to Prem and EFL clubs, totalling a remarkable £1,279,375.
Mitrovic will be a head on the FA’s disciplinary spike, and rightly so, for his appalling conduct towards Chris Kavanagh in Fulham’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat.
But five years after Wembley re-launched its “Respect” campaign, the disrespect has plunged to an all-time nadir.
Of the 20 Prem clubs, no fewer than 15 have fallen foul of the FA, with aggregate fines of a stunning £932,500.
Mitrovic’s looming fine, alongside those for Fulham and boss Silva, will comfortably take that tally over the £1m mark – a badge of shame for the Prem.
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Top of the “table”, as they are of the one that captures most attention, is Arsenal, with fines totalling £185,000 after three separate charges of “failing to control” their players.
Mikel Arteta, criticised by many for some of his touchline behaviour, has rightly been feted for the football his Gunners have shown.
But just as the red cards picked up by Arsene Wenger’s side became something of a running joke two decades ago, so the current Arsenal seem not to be worried about their disciplinary lapses.
The biggest single fine so far this season was the £75,000 collected by Manchester City for their behaviour in the crunch clash at the Emirates last month.
And along with Arsenal, United and Everton have both been fined more than £100,000 for multiple breaches of the regulations.
Arsenal's rap sheet
November 2 – £20,000 (failing to control players)
January 13 – £40,000 (failing to control players)
January 19 – £40,000 (went up to £60,000 on Feb 17 – failing to control players)
February 15 – £65,000 (failing to control players, surrounding official)
Such is the FA’s concerns about what is happening week-in, week-out that senior Wembley officials recently wrote to all clubs “reminding them of their responsibilities” over the behaviour of players and coaching staffs.
In response to SunSport’s investigation, an FA spokesperson said: “Referees and match officials play vital roles in our national sport.
“Any inappropriate behaviour towards them is completely unacceptable.
“Players, coaches, support staff and club officials have a responsibility to treat them with respect, and action will be taken against anyone involved in English football where there is evidence that they have failed to meet that standard.”
The trouble, of course, is that the misbehaviour is not isolated to the top flight.
In addition to the Prem numbers, 15 of the 24 Championship clubs, 13 in League One and 12 in League Two have fallen foul of the disciplinary department.
The FA operates a sliding scale of financial punishments, ensuring the wealthier clubs in the top flight are hit more heavily in the pocket.
Yet many of Arteta’s squad, perhaps the majority of the first team, earn more per WEEK than the £185,000 fines they have been ordered to pay.
It is the same for the rest of the Prem. If it doesn’t hurt, and might give you a competitive advantage in the match, it will continue to happen.
Let there be no doubt: something is rotten in the state of football.
Something needs to change – and quickly.