PFA call for players to be sent off for X-rated rants at each other

Chairman Clarke Carlisle urges FA to act to clean up the image of the game after Terry court case

Independent on Sunday

The fallout from the John Terry court case looks likely to bring major changes to English football, with the players' union yesterday calling for their own members to receive red cards if they use foul and abusive language to each other. As the Football Association considered whether to charge the Chelsea captain and QPR's Anton Ferdinand with bringing the game into disrepute for their expletive-ridden language, Clarke Carlisle urged them to consider major changes to the sanctions for swearing.

Carlisle, the chairman of the Professional Footballers Association, told The Independent: "At present a red card for foul and abusive language is only shown when a player abuses match officials. What the FA should is do is order referees to show the red card even when players abuse each other."