Phelan gave evidence to the panel earlier this month in a case that saw left-back Patrice Evra handed a four-match ban for his part in a post-match brawl with Chelsea groundstaff at Stamford Bridge last spring.
Part of United's claim was that within the brawl, which the FA panel concluded Evra was responsible for starting, Chelsea groundsman Sam Bethell used racist language towards the Red Devils defender, something he strenuously denies and was rejected by panel chairman Nicholas Stewart QC.
In his case notes, Stewart outlined major inconsistencies in the two written accounts submitted by Phelan prior to verbally giving evidence.
"Even before the hearing we did not feel able to place strong reliance on this evidence. Mike Phelan did not impress us," read the panel's findings, which have been made public by the FA.
The report claimed that if Phelan and then goalkeeping coach Richard Hartis had heard the comments Bethell was alleged to have made, it was implausible no-one else, specifically two black members of the Chelsea groundstaff close to the scene, would not have heard them and reported them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment