Manchester City have taken action against their own player following the nasty incident where Thatcher struck Mendes across the face with his elbow. Causing the Pompey player to require medical attention at a local hospital. City have imposed a six game ban on the player and fined him six weeks wages.

The incident happened on the touch line as Mendes was trying to clear the ball. With the score at 0-0 neither side were chasing the game enough to warrant any rash challenges, but Thatcher led with his arm and paid the ball little attention. The astonishing fact is Thatcher only received a yellow card for the challenge, when other players have been sent off this season for fairly innocuous challenges.

Thatcher has form for this kind of incident, in 2000 while playing for Wimbledon he elbowed Sunderland’s Nicky Summerbee, incurring a two match ban.

Is the ban enough? A six game holiday and a proportionately miniscule fine, would that make a footballing ego tow the line and learn a lesson? Should the club be docked points as a result of their players gross misconduct? Perhaps its time for the PFA to step in and take responsibility in disciplining its members for foul play and cheating. Possibly by enrolling Thatcher in a community service programme until he has paid his debt, for inflicting deliberate injury on a fellow member of the players union. The punishment should have a lasting effect on the player to ensure that they don’t commit the same act again, giving small fines and time off work to people who earn hundreds of thousands of pounds and enjoy a lavish lifestyle, as depicted in the television series Footballers Wive$, is hardly fitting punishment.

Compare the six game ban and six week fine for pole-axing a player to the fine imposed by Real Betis for a player returning to work nine days late. They fined Ricardo Oliveira a million Euro when he returned to work late from his summer holiday. It’s time the footballing authorities in the Premiership got tough to eradicate the blight of cheating and foul play that spoils the game.

Roy Keane has finally signed on the dotted line of his three year deal with Sunderland; after lengthy discussions which appear to have gone on all week.

Keane was introduced to the playing staff on Sunday, time he may have have used to motivate the players for the game against West Bromwich Albion. He elected to watch what he would be working with before signing after the game. The players did themselves justice and did their part in securing the signature of their new manager when they registered their first win under Niall Quinn and their first points of the season.

Many had thought that the rift from the world cup in 2002 could put a stop to the partnership of Keane and Quinn. However they appear to have buried the hatchet as Quinn has on offer exactly what Keane is looking for. A football club that has top of the range facilities, a massive fan base, a top class stadium, a brand new board and money to spend. The only thing that the club lacks is a hero, a leader to guide the players and fans to some glory. Quinn it seems has chosen Keane as he was that man during his playing career, a man that didn’t accept second best, a inspirational captain who lead by example. Will those skills be transferable to club management? Some bookmakers are giving odds of 10/1 for him to be out of the job by the end of the season. 

Obafemi Martins has completed his £10m dream move from Italian champions Inter Milan to Newcastle United. Glenn Roeder has insisted that the player has been his main transfer target of the summer, despite saying he was after players with ‘Premiership’ experience. The only recent experience Martins has of the Premiership was scoring against Tottenham in a friendly last month.

The move was clouded by a lot of speculation over the Nigerians players age. Rumours the club insist have not originated from them, although they are satisfied having seen the players birth certificate and passport in a routine check. 

On Tuesday Watford register their first point of the Premiership campaign in a 1-1 draw against West Ham. On the same night Dimitar Berbatov opened his account for Tottenham in a 2-0 win over Neil Warnock’s Blades.

Shock result of Wednesday night was Chelsea suffering their first defeat of the season at the hands of Middlesbrough. Having taken the lead at the riverside through Shevchenko’s first league goal, they then conceded two goals in ten minutes from Pogatetz and Viduka. Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa beat the Royals of Reading 2-1, Blackburn and Fulham held Everton and Bolton in two 1-1 draws. Manchester United were convincing in their victory over Charlton Athletic, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer returning to the team with a goal scoring appearance. In the goalless clash between Manchester City and Portsmouth was relatively uneventful until Ben Thatcher had a flash back to his old Wimbledon days, when he challenged Pedro Mendes on the touchline. Thatcher appeared to lead with his elbow rather than his legs, the challenge caused Mendes to be admitted to hospital for tests. The last has not been heard of this incident and no doubt there will be a ban from the FA.

Watford will be looking to register their first points in the Premiership this evening when they take on West Ham at Vicarage Road. Last years F.A. Cup finalists fresh from victory at the weekend will want to keep their momentum and have six points at the end of the game tonight. All eyes will be on the match officials who cost Watford a point at the weekend. Tottenham entertain Sheffield United at White Hart Lane in an eight o’clock kick off. Tottenham will be looking to put of a better display and score their first goal of the season. after a shocking performance against Bolton where they lost to two early goals from Davies and Campo. The blades will be ready though as they held the Cup holders Liverpool to a draw, in another game that was blighted by strange decisions from the man in black.

The Barclays Premiership is back and its more controversial than ever! New boys Watford and Sheffield United were both victims of strange penalty decisions. That has reignited the calls for a video referee on the side lines to rule on difficult decisions. Watford’s Chris Powell was deemed to have handled the ball in the box, when it was kicked at his head. Liverpool were awarded a penalty for a Blade’s defender putting Gerrard off his stride as he evaded the tackle and fired off his shot.

Tottenham went a goal down after a couple of minutes as Kevin Davies had a free header while one of his team mates was obstructing  both Calum Davenport and Dimitar Berbatov; another incident that could have used the assistance of video referees.

With the stakes higher than ever in the business of football the introduction of technology that could remove human error should happen sooner rather than later. Two years ago a cheating Roy Carroll cost Tottenham the opportunity of playing in Europe last season and the revenue that would bring when he pretended that Pedro Mendes Shot didn’t cross the line, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw.

The PFA should have reprimanded Carroll for cheating his fellow professionals. Denying them possible bonuses and opportunity to further their career; in the same way that Chelsea players attempted to bring Didier Drogba into line last season following a spate of dives that were worthy of Olympic medals for diving and gymnastics.

Its time that the players earned their money, by playing the beautiful game the way it was intended to be played, and the authorities imposed sanctions that will ensure that cheating of an kind is eradicated from the game.

Tottenham have agreed a deal in the region of 3 million pounds with Charlton for left winger Andy Reid. Reid featured for Spurs on 27 occasions scoring only once against Aston Villa.

Since joining from Nottingham Forest he has struggled with his weight and with a multitude of niggling injuries. Reid had been admired by a number of clubs, many reports had linked him with a move to Championship strugglers Sunderland. Now that Niall Quinn had taken over and needs to strengthen his attacking options.

Addicks Manager Iain Dowie is delighted with his new purchase one of five new face to arrive at the Valley in the last nine days.

Marco Van Basten’s side inflicted the heaviest defeat Ireland have suffered on home soil for over forty years.  During which a new star was born, Klass Jan Huntelaar scored twice and is hotly tipped to replace Ruud Van Nistelrooy in the Dutch strike force.

Fielding a side weakened by injuries to Robbie Keane, Shay Given and Andy Reid, Steve Staunton would have hoped his luck would change following  his confrontation on Monday night with a gunman. The 42000 strong crowd also saw Chelsea winger add his name to the score sheet; the home humiliation was complete when Arsenal’s Robin Van Persie beat Paddy Kenny from outside the box.

The home side showed promise forcing a number of saves from Edwin Van Der Sar in the Dutch goal.

Steve McClaren’s newly appointed captain set a very early example of what England fans should expect from the future. John Terry scored England’s first goal against the European champions after only fourteen minutes at Old Trafford. 

Frank Lampard joined his club captain on the scoresheet fifteen minutes later, ending the goal drought that drew much criticism during the World Cup.

Lanky Liverpool forward scored twice before half time to take the score to 4-0. The second half had no goals but showed great promise for the England faithful as McClaren made substitutions and demonstrated his tactical dexterity.

This result and more importantly the performance have given McClaren the perfect start to his tenure as England manager.

West Ham United manager Alan Pardew will be without striker Dean Ashton for the start of the new Barclays Premiership season.  The former Norwich hitman has broken his ankle in a training session with England following his inclusion in Steve McClaren’s first squad for the friendly with Greece.

The incident happened while England players trained at Old Trafford ahead of the Wednesday night fixture.

Ashton will be distraught that his opportunity to prove his doubters and Sven wrong has been so cruelly taken from him. His meteoric rise from the championship to the England first eleven was almost complete. Instead he has only got to look forward to is rehabilitation and competing for a place in the Hammers side.