Increasingly, the International Board and FIFA are recognising that football at the highest level is capable of being controlled
somewhat differently from at the parks level.

Before you get worked up about 'alternative' refereeing and punishing foul or abusive language, I am talking here about certain
areas of the Laws of the Game.

The technical area was the first step towards having additional regulation for top level football and the introduction of the 'multiple
ball' idea is yet another innovation. I believe it is now time to consider introducing the sin bin as a means of disciplinary control and
punishment.

In simple terms, the yellow card would be replaced by a spell in the sin bin i.e. a temporary suspension from the game. It would be
possible for different offences to merit different time penalties, if that was deemed to be fairer.

Conversely, now that it has been decided that for senior leagues all yellow cards are worth the same, and it is the number of cards
that leads to suspension rather than the exact offences, it would be possible to have identical time penalties for all types of yellow
card offences. Details like this are of secondary importance, how ever.

The prime benefit of using the sin bin is that it would be far fairer than the present suspension system. Players would be punished
in the game in which they committed the offence rather than later in the season. In particular, teams who were offended against
would gain the immediate 'benefit' of the player being suspended (temporarily) rather than the player being suspended for a match
later in the season which might actually benefit a rival team.

Imagine that a Coventry player badly fouls a Liverpool player who is rendered less effective because of the injury. The Coventry
player gains a yellow card and later in the season is suspended when Coventry play a vital game against Newcastle United,
Liverpool's title rivals. In this case Liverpool have been 'penalised' twice, firstly through their player being less effective through
injury and secondly seeing that opponent suspended from a vital match against title rivals. Surely it would be more equitable for the
Coventry player to be temporarily suspended in the match against Liverpool.

A further benefit may well be a reduction in yellow card offences. How often do we see a team get wound up and commit a series
of fouls resulting in several yellow cards in quick succession. If players were being sent to the sin bin it is likely that their team
mates would be more careful about offending and further reducing the number of players on the field. It is unlikely that they would
want more than one player in the sin bin at any one time.

Of course there are potential technical problems. A 'sin bin' area might need to be provided, although players could go onto the
own bench. The Reserve Official would have a role to play timing the length of the sin bin suspension.

No doubt some would argue that there is a danger of the players becoming stiff whilst off the field, thus risking injury when they
return, but this occurs when a player goes off through injury and, anyway, this might be another incentive for players to behave.

I have deliberately not muddled the issue by saying exactly how long should be spent in the sin bin and I am aware that an offence
committed in the last few minutes of the game might pose additional problems as the full time suspension could not be served.
However, I firmly believe the sin bin would be a much fairer way of punishing players and would be relatively simple to operate. It
also has the attraction of potentially discouraging further offences.

Perhaps we should encourage the Premier League to experiment next season and prove that they really are a pioneering
competition. Certainly I would hope that the referees would be prepared to consider the idea and it is interesting to note that the sin
bin is being introduced to Rugby Union this season. They copied our red and yellow cards, perhaps we can learn from their
experiences with the sin bin.

David Elleray

(writing in the October edition of The FOOTBALL REFEREE)