‘I'd Have been Sent Off If I'd Done
The Same To Him', Claims Lennon

By Gavin Willacy

ENGLAND captain Alan Shearer has been ordered to FA headquarters to explain the controversial challenge on Leicester midfielder Neil Lennon that stunned football last week.
And last night Lennon told Football365 he wasn't surprised by the decision at Lancaster Gate - even though the Newcastle striker once again denied any intent.
Shearer's appearance in the FA dock follows endless television replays of the incident, in which he clearly swung a foot into Lennon's face as they tangled on the touchline during the goalless draw at Filbert Street. But as politicians, pundits and seemingly everybody else entered the fray, rules demanded that the player accused had to wait until, in a carefully-worded statement, the FA asked him to explain his actions.
It read: ''An FA Commission will consider an alleged breach of the rules by Alan Shearer following an incident in last week's Leicester City v Newcastle United match. The decision has been taken by the FA's chief executive, Graham Kelly, after a video of the match was viewed. Kelly believes it is in the interests of the game that Alan Shearer receives the fullest opportunity to explain to a commission what happened and, if necessary, call witnesses on his behalf. He will have 14 days to respond. Depending on his response, it will be decided how and when to proceed.''
He didn't wait 14 days. In fact, he waited barely more than 14 minutes yesterday before issuing a second statement protesting his innocence and insisting he did not deliberately kick the Northern Ireland international: ''I fully understand the need for all players to be treated equally by the FA, but I am disappointed that there is apparently nothing in the FA's rules which enables a player to state his case prior to an announcement like this being made. I am totally confident