TIME FOR THE COMFY CHAIR...

Tomorrow sees Manchester United play Everton at Old Trafford in a Premiership fixture. It will be interesting to see whether `Sir` Alex Ferguson, the United manager, takes his seat in the dugout or in the stand.

Earlier this week, the Football Association dished out Ferguson`s `punishment,` following his rant at referee Alan Wiley in a game against Sunderland way back on 3rd October. The wheels grind slowly. The FA should by now have written to Ferguson to confirm the savagery of the punishement handed down to him. If they have, then Ferguson has 14 days to lodge an appeal, which seems unlikely given the FA verdict.

They have banned Ferguson for four matches, with two of them suspended until next season. If he doesn`t appeal, therefore, he will be banished from the touchline for tomorrow`s game and also the one against Portsmouth in a week or so`s time. If he does appeal, then this saga will continue to run and run with the reputation of both `sides` still in question.

Now, the severity of the touchline ban is such that Ferguson must sit in the stands away from the technical area. Recent FA regulations mean that he will not be able to sit immediately behind the technical area but those same regulations do not prevent him from contacting the dugout by telephone during the game or from visiting the team`s dressing room before the game, at half time and after the game has ended. Okay, he has been fined £20,000, but this is small change to a multi-millionaire on a salary alone running into millions each year - even if he ends up paying it himself. But the whole thing simply highlights the FA`s total inability or unwillingness to take real, firm action against this serial offender and does nothing to enhance the reputations of either party to this affair.

This circus reminds me of another one - Monty Python`s Flying one, in which no-one expects the Inquisition. "Bring on the Comfy Chair! Now -- you will stay in the Comfy Chair until lunch time, with only a cup of coffee at eleven." That`ll teach him!!