Chelsea charged over barracking referee

CHELSEA have been charged by the Football Association for the behaviour of their players during Saturday’s win at West Brom.

The FA charge relates to the Chelsea players’ reaction to a foul on Claude Makelele.

An FA spokesman said: “Chelsea have been charged with failing to ensure that their players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion.

“The charge relates to an incident in the 43rd minute of Chelsea’s game against West Bromwich Albion on March 4 when several Chelsea players surrounded referee Mark Halsey following a foul by West Brom’s Ronnie Wallwork. Halsey reported the incident to The FA and expressed his view that a number of Chelsea players pressurised him at this time.”

The maximum punishment for this type of offence is £250,000 but the FA are not thought to view this incident as being near the top of the scale in terms of severity.