HANDS up the man who didn't secretly enjoy the fight between Andy Cole and Neil Clement during last Saturday's West Brom-Fulham match.

Don't feel ashamed. I loved it and replayed it at least a dozen times.

Of course, both players deserved their red cards and should be banned and fined. Such behaviour has no place in football.

But if fighting on a football pitch is so abhorrent, why does every supporter over the age of 40 smile fondly when reminded of the 1970s punch-fest between Francis Lee and Norman Hunter?

Yes, it's wrong. But I'd rather see two blokes going hell for leather at each other like that to solve their differences than watch the sly elbows, headbutts, stamps and studding that are just as dangerous and go on every week. But I draw the line at abusing referees.

There was nothing to enjoy about the way Fulham's players repeatedly harassed Mike Dean at the Hawthorns last weekend.

They were, no doubt, inspired to argue with the referee by Mark Halsey's decision to overturn a penalty decision given in Fulham's favour against Arsenal the previous week.

Gangs of argumentative players have always surrounded referees when they disagreed with a decision, but Fulham went too far.

The officials are there to keep order -- without them, football would descend into chaos.

If this attempt at mob rule continues, the FA must must bring in a rule banning all players except the two captains from talking to referees.