FA to deliberate over Spurs request

The FA Premier League will today deliberate Tottenham's request for their game with West Ham to be replayed after 10 Spurs players went down with food poisoning prior to the game.

Although Spurs are set to lose their appeal, with the FAPL pointing out the north London side fulfilled their fixture, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy claims he has the support of other Premier League clubs and is angry at the treatment of the club.

The White Hart Lane club lost 2-1 which saw them pipped to the fourth Champions League spot by rivals Arsenal, who leapfrogged them after a 4-2 win over Wigan at Highbury.

However, Levy outlined in an open letter the club were put in an impossible position, claiming the Premier League made their decision without full knowledge of the facts which ultimately favoured the Gunners.

Levy said: "Coach Martin Jol and his staff were left in the invidious position of choosing between starting the match with their original 17 players, 10 of whom were feeling very unwell, or drafting in reserves, the majority of whom have not played for the first team or are untried and untested at that level."

Levy continued: "We simply do not understand why the FAPL failed to appraise itself of all of the facts before turning down our request that the fixture be postponed.

"As a result we played the game with players who were unwell but who were desperate not to let their fans and colleagues down. Clearly, our governing body put us in an impossible situation and gave a significant advantage to Arsenal in competing for that fourth position.

"We now have confirmation from a majority of Premier League clubs they would support a replay and in similar circumstances would expect the game to have been postponed.

"This is a gesture made by fellow clubs which supports the (FAPL) charter's aims of running a professional league in a manner in which all of its member clubs are treated equally and in a professional, fair and objective way."

The FAPL board will now meet to discuss Tottenham's request but a spokesman said: "Tottenham fulfilled the fixture and the result stands. However, the board will meet to discuss the contents of Tottenham's letter."