Soccer News round-up: Andy Todd has been cleared of any offence following his clash with Robin van Persie after the Arsenal substitute scored his second goal in the FA Cup semi-final and ended up concussed on the ground with a cut lip.
A Football Association disciplinary commission yesterday found the charge of violent conduct made against the Blackburn captain not proven.
"We were always confident and when we had the chance to view the pictures in detail our view of Andy's innocence was totally confirmed," said the manager Mark Hughes. "We applaud the commission's decision made against a background of unprecedented and unjustified media coverage."
Van Persie had just scored the final goal when he turned into the Blackburn defender's elbow. Todd claimed it was "purely accidental", only for the FA to charge him after its compliance unit studied the video.
"It has been a difficult few days but justice has been done," Todd said. "I can now concentrate on the job of helping Rovers to continue to climb the Premier League table in the final few weeks of the season."
El Hadji Diouf has been summonsed to face Teesside magistrates over an alleged spitting incident at Middlesbrough. A date has yet to be fixed to look into an allegation of disorderly conduct against the on-loan Bolton striker under section five of the Public Order Act 1986.
The Senegalese was accused after an incident at the Riverside in November, when he appeared to spit a mouthful of drink into the crowd after being substituted, and a Middlesbrough fan has since complained.
Leeds have been fined £3,000 by an FA disciplinary commission for failing to control their players during last month's home draw against Gillingham. They pleaded guilty to a misconduct charge when a 20-man brawl erupted after an altercation between Michael Gray and the visitors' striker Darius Henderson. Both players were sent off but Gillingham successfully appealed against Henderson's red card while Gray went on to serve a three-match ban.
Harry Redknapp will be protected by minders for his first return to Portsmouth on Sunday and has held discussions with police, who have formulated plans to help protect him and respond if his safety is at risk at Fratton Park.
The Southampton manager is guaranteed a fierce reception after quitting Pompey last year and joining their rivals shortly afterwards. Police are expected to be deployed close to the dug-out.
A senior officer from Hampshire police has spoken to Redknapp about procedures, including a planned response in an emergency.
Some 400 police officers will be on duty, including mounted police, officers with shields and batons, and officers with video cameras.
The volatility of the situation is intensified because his backroom staff including the former Pompey assistant manager Jim Smith and coach Kevin Bond. There are also two former Portsmouth players, Nigel Quashie and Peter Crouch, in the Southampton side.
"Let the game be the key point," said Portsmouth's chairman Milan Mandaric. "I really don't want there to be any black mark on us."
Last season trouble outside the ground resulted in 103 convictions, 88 people sent to prison and 549 years of banning orders.
