The referee's a...

  • by Staff Writer
  • Thursday, 7th December 2000

West Ham have topped a list of Premiership clubs who have had the most offside decisions awarded against them this season.

The Hammers topped the poll - for Match of the Day magazine - with a whopping 76 offside decisions against them since the season began, at an average of 5.4 calls per game.

Nearest rivals were Everton and Liverpool with 70 decisions each, at an average of 5 per game.

TEAM Offsides Average
1. WEST HAM 76 5.4
2. LIVERPOOL 70 5.0
2. EVERTON 70 5.0
4. CHARLTON 69 4.9
5. NEWCASTLE 68 4.9

And Freddy Kanoute is the second most persistent offender in the league, with 32 decisions against him already. Only Arsenal's Thierry Henry has been called offside more, with 35 decisions against.

PLAYER Offsides
1. HENRY (ARSENAL) 35
2. KANOUTE (WEST HAM) 32
3. JOHANSSON (CHARLTON) 24
3. AKINBIYI (LEICESTER) 24
5. QUINN (SUNDERLAND) 24

The Match of the Day polls also revealed that the Hammers were only the 12th biggest spenders in the Premiership since the beginning of the 96/97 season.

West Ham spent approximately £40.3m on a total of 32 players (5th highest total) in that period, averaging £1.3m per player (13th highest average).

Newcastle topped the expenditure list, having spent an incredible £92.8m on playing staff. Manchester United spent an average of £4.2m per player, the highest average of all the teams.

Whilst Coventry City topped the list for most players bought in the period; no less than 36 players have passed through the gates at Highfield Road.

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