Chelsea hope for leniency

Chelsea can be confident of escaping a fine anywhere near the upper limit of £250,000 (€383,900) that technically pertains for the Football Association charge they face over the behaviour of their players during their victory at West Brom.

The FA charge relates to an incident which saw Chelsea players surround referee Mark Halsey after a foul by Albion’s Ronnie Wallwork on Claude Makelele in Saturday’s Barclays Premiership fixture.

An FA spokesman said yesterday: “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 Brom 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 (€383,900), but the FA is not thought to view the incident as being near the top of that scale.