Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe has demanded an apology from the Football Association over their handling of the Carlos Tevez affair.
The Blades take on Burnley in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final at Wembley on Monday and a win for United will wipe out at a stroke most of the residual outrage following their unsatisfactory relegation from the Barclays Premier League in 2007.
The Sheffield-born property tycoon said: "I really think the Premier League should apologise to us because this was not a grey area. All fair and reasonable men know we should not have been relegated."
McCabe fought tirelessly for justice following the FA's refusal to dock West Ham points for breaking rules on third-party player ownership.
The FA fined West Ham £5.5million, but allowed Carlos Tevez to appear in the Hammers' last three matches of the 2006/7 season and he played a key role in their survival at the expense of Sheffield United.
An independent panel has since ruled in the Blades' favour and a £20million settlement was agreed out of court between the two clubs in March, but McCabe remains angry the game's ruling body has never said sorry.
Asked whether victory at Wembley would signify redemption, McCabe replied: "Maybe. I think a line would be drawn under the affair when the two clubs compete again for the first time, hopefully back in the Premier League.
"There is an irony in that we could be promoted and that would coincide with our settlement with West Ham. But West Ham is a great club. After all the trauma there has been unification.
"I'm a bit more philosophical now. Since relegation we've been fighting our case, fighting the establishment, but this has not affected what we've been trying to do on the field."
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Still want that apology McCabe?
Or was that in anticipation of your inevitable rise back into the Premier League, and not getting stuffed by Burnley? :D
Unlucky son!!!!
Common Burnley - A club with a great history and tradition - it would be great to have some more claret and blue in the Premiership. Not quite certain what McCabe is getting at when he says there's been unification - perhaps he means his head with @#$%!
NorfolkIron
Well spoken McCabe. Come on Scuddamore et al. Remove already convicted West Ham (cheating) United from the Premier League before they scupper any chance we have of getting the World Cup. Bobby Moore would be turning in his grave at the very though of taking part in his clubs underhand, Tevez, antics. Remember what Bobby went through when suffering South American jewel theft accusations? That is exactly the feelings suffered by Sheffield United when subjected to South American goal theft! Got it, Boleyn End?
So you advocate cheating in sport?....
Oh grow up. The reason Sheffield United were relegated was because over the course of the season, quite frankly , you were rubbish. Poor players, coupled together with a manager more interested in breaking opponents legs, you were always destined for the drop. And now more than twelve months since being dropped, the chairman McCabe still bleats about it. I suspect that if succe3ssful, the first thing out of his mouth will be"Sheffield United find themselves in the position they deserve to be in". And so you did twelve months ago. Move on. I for one would like to see Burnley succeed.
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