Bean Backs Blades Bid

 

Source: Sporting Life

June 4, 2007

BEAN BACKS BLADES BID
By PA Sport staff

Sheffield United supporter Sean Bean has joined the club's fight to be reinstated

to the Barclays Premiership.

 

The Blades were relegated from the top flight after a final-day defeat at home to

Wigan.

 

West Ham - who escaped with a £5.5million fine for their conduct in the transfer

and registration of Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano - survived.

 

The South Yorkshire side believe West Ham should have been docked points

over the Tevez affair and expect an independent arbitration panel to find in

their favour at a hearing on June 18-19.

 

And Hollywood actor Sean Bean, a lifelong Blades fan, has agreed to lead

the club's 'Campaign for Fairness'.

 

Next Wednesday, Bean will lead a delegation of Blades fans to MPs, when the

supporters will let parliament them know how unhappy they are with the way

the club has been treated.

 

He explained tonight: "United has always been close to my heart - I'm a massive

Blades fan and I'm proud to be associated with anything that might help us

overturn this injustice.

 

"Everyone knows the facts, but we have had to bear the brunt of the unfair

decision to fine West Ham rather than dock the club points.

 

"They broke league rules and points, not a fine, should have been the punishment.

 

"Instead, West Ham have ended up being rewarded while Sheffield United,

who played by the rules, face relegation.

 

"I hope that the arbitration panel will see the injustice and the message that

'rule-breaking pays' will send out to kids playing football.

 

"The panel now have the chance to right that wrong and I'll be doing everything

I can to encourage the arbitrators to do just that."

 

Blades chairman Kevin McCabe added: "Of course we're thrilled to have Sean on

board.

 

"He's a great guy and a genuine voice of the many thousands of disappointed

Blades fans.

 

"We've already had a lot of support from MPs, and 35 have signed an Early

Day Motion in support of our position.

 

"We hope that with this campaign, everyone in football will realise that we should

be able to take our rightful place in the Premier League next season."

 

********

 

Source: This is London

03 June 2007
Blades turn to Bean in Premiership fight

Sheffield United have turned to Hollywood star Sean Bean for help in their

battle to be reinstated to the Premiership.

Lifelong supporter Bean has promised to lead a delegation to Parliament on

June 13, five days before a panel rules on the club's relegation in the wake

of a decision not to dock West Ham points over the Carlos Tevez saga.

Bean said: "If I can help in any way to expose this injustice and get Sheffield

United reinstated to the Premier League I'd be a very happy and proud man."

United's plc chairman Kevin McCabe says he has been told by a highlevel

Premier League official that the club will be restored to the top flight if

they win the hearing.

McCabe said: "I firmly believe we will win."

 

*********

 

Source: BBC

03 June 2007

Blades confident of reinstatement

Sheffield United plc chairman Kevin McCabe is confident the club will be

reinstated to the Premiership.

 

An arbitration panel on 18 June will hear the Blades' claim against the Premier

League's failure to dock West Ham points over the Carlos Tevez saga.

 

"I firmly believe we will win and the previous decision will be overturned," McCabe

told BBC Five Live Sport.

 

"Officials have said that if the arbitration overturns the previous decision then

we should be reinstated."

The Blades are challenging a decision to fine West Ham rather than dock them

points and cancel striker Tevez's registration.

 

The Premier League had initially told Sheffield United, who were relegated on

the last day of the season, that they were wasting their time and money.

But McCabe claims officials have since told the club they will regain their

top-flight status if their claim is successful.

 

Asked about what that would mean to West Ham, who stayed up in 15th place

while Sheffield United were relegated on goal difference after finishing on the

same number of points as 17th-placed Wigan, he said: "That's conjecture.

That's not my issue, that is one that has to rest firmly with the Premier League.

 

"Our dispute is with the Premier League."

 

The Blades chief said having an extra team in the Premiership was a possibility.

 

He added: "It seems a simple way of sorting things out but again that is really

for the board of the Premier League to decide and opine upon."

 

The issue has dragged on since March when the Hammers were charged by the

Premier League with breaching rules in relation to the signings of Argentine duo

Tevez and Javier Mascherano.

Tevez and Mascherano, who has since left for Liverpool, joined the club in

August but their registration with third party Media Sports Investment broke

regulations.

 

West Ham were found guilty of acting improperly and withholding vital

documentation over the duo's ownership but they escaped a points

deduction and Tevez was allowed to continue playing.

 

He was one of the major factors in the club's late escape from the drop but

the Blades have vowed to fight the Premier League's decision.

 

McCabe stated: "I think the Premier League accept they wish the arbitration

was not happening.

 

"But in the knowledge it is happening and it cannot be prevented, then if the

decision is overturned we should be reselected to the Premier League.

 

"Since we really looked into the whys and the wherefores of the Tevez affair it

became apparent that a wrong decision was made.

 

"There were circumstances behind the wrong decision but we've looked at it

and consulted with our lawyers and we're confident that the arbitration will overturn it.

 

"An injustice has been done - a club that played within the rules has been relegated

and a club that breached the rules has been rewarded."

 

Actor and Sheffield United fan Sean Bean will lead a delegation to Parliament on

13 June - five days before the arbitration looks at the Blades' claim.

 

McCabe has not ruled out taking the matter further if the decision is not in their

favour.

 

He said: "The arbitration is critical to our reinstatement to the Premier League.

If there are other legal recourses they may be looked into but we're all working

hard towards 18 and 19 of June."

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