The reason why the FA did not act sooner was because the police were involved. I'm sorry, but it's not as if Joe Cole was going to go to prison for throwing a few punches.

The FA had video evidence of the incident(s) and could quite easily have given Joe his ban a good 7 or 8 months ago! But no, the incompetent Football Association took all of this time to make a decision. What they get up to with their time is beyond me!

It's also clearly puzzling our chief exec Paul Smith, who said "We're being punished for something that happened over 230 days ago when Joe wasn't even a Chelsea player.''

The FA have said that Joe will face a personal hearing sometime in the new year. They fail to disclose which New Year though!