Caution necessary over Halsey claims

THAT, on occasions, players deliberately get booked is common knowledge.

Either they want to miss a certain match or fancy a few bevvies over Christmas.

But news that one referee indulged these players is fresh.

Mark Halsey was the man, telling a yellow-seeker: “When I give a freekick against you, just leather the ball 50 yards away and I can caution you for dissent. Don’t do anything stupid.”

It seems Halsey (right) would know all about stupid because he just has to be making this yarn up.

There are any number of ways for a player to get himself booked without asking the referee to do him a favour.

Halsey was always a great one for chumminess and while this tale might be true, he might, alternatively, just be trying to cling on to his memory of being the players’ pal.