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Wimbledon will not support Vinnie Jones when he faces a charge of bringing the game into disrepute brought by the Association yesterday.
Sam Hammam, the club's Lebanese owner who has defended Jones' numerous indiscretions over the years, said last night there would be no appeal against the player's sending-off at Chelsea on Boxing Day, and no dispute of the FA charge, which followed Jones' comments about Ruud Gullit and other foreign players in the Daily Mirror yesterday.
Jones, 30, is on the transfer list after being dropped for the 3-3 draw with Newcastle nearly a month ago. He made a surprise return at Chelsea but his fouls on Chelsea's imports, the Romanian Dan Petrescu and the Dutchman Gullit, led to the 11th dismissal of his career. He then criticised foreign players, Gullit in particular, in a first-person article in the Daily Mirror.
Hammam said it was up to Wimbledon's manager, Joe Kinnear, whether to pick Jones for tomorrow's visit to Arsenal, but he added: "This is not the Vinnie Jones I know and whom I regarded as almost a son. What he has done is wrong. The foul on Ruud Gullit was wrong and the newspaper article was wrong. Vinnie told me that what was in the paper was in his own words and nobody else can be blamed.
"I'm sure he is sorry for it and I think that is what he will tell the FA. It was all said in the heat of temper but he admits he was quoted accurately."
Hamman said Wimbledon would not appeal against the sending-off because "we believe Vinnie merited a second yellow card.
"The newspaper article is his own affair and so it is with regard to any apology to Ruud Gullit. That is for Vinnie to decide upon, although I can't imagine Gullit is looking for an apology. He is a big man in the game and we are lucky to have him and other foreign players like Dennis Bergkamp in our League."
Jones has 14 days in which to request a personal hearing against the disrepute charge. If found guilty, he could be suspended or heavily fined for likening Gullit to a "squealing, pot-bellied pig" among his criticisms of foreign players.
Liverpool are letting Mark Walters, Jan Molby and Paul Stewart leave Anfield on free transfers. They have been told by Liverpool's manager, Roy Evans, they have no future at the club.
Pressure on Keegan, page 23
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