Football: Gunn to explain decision

THE Football League has written to the Sussex referee, Allan Gunn, over his failure to send off the Aston Villa goalkeeper, Mark Bosnich, in the Coca-Cola Cup semi-final against Tranmere Rovers.

Tranmere were furious about Gunn's decision not to dismiss Bosnich last Sunday, despite a recent Football Association directive reminding referees about Fifa's laws on serious foul play.

'We have sent a letter to Allan Gunn asking him for his observations over the specific incident where Bosnich felled Aldridge,' the League spokesman, Ian Cotton, said yesterday. 'There has been a lot of discussion about this within the League and a great deal of anger at what is seen as yet another example of refereeing inconsistency.'

Tranmere refused to mark Gunn's performance after the game, and the club secretary, Norman Wilson, wrote to the League complaining about his performance.

Another Australian keeper, Cambridge's John Filan, has joined Liverpool on trial with a view to a pounds 500,000 deal. Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, was fined pounds 250 by the FA for remarks made to the referee at an A team Lancashire League game against Blackburn in December.