COLIN Todd today leapt to the defence of his son, Andy, accusing the southern-based media of conducting a 'witch-hunt' designed to destroy the Blackburn Rovers defender.

The 30-year-old Rovers skipper has been castigated in the national press since his tangle with Arsenal's Robin Van Persie during the dying seconds of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at the Millennium Stadium.

Todd stands accused of deliberately elbowing the Dutchman in the face just seconds after he scored the Gunners' third goal in Cardiff.

However, match referee Steve Dunn decided any contact was accidental at the time of the incident, and, as yet, the FA have not hit Todd with a violent conduct charge.

But that hasn't stopped certain sections of the media from launching a character assassination on the former Bolton and Charlton defender, prompting his father, Colin, to hit back by describing some of the coverage as 'despicable' and 'distasteful.'

Todd senior, the manager of League One side Bradford City, said: "Some of this criticism of Andy is totally uncalled for.

"We are talking about an Arsenal side whose disciplinary record is abysmal under Arsene Wenger.

"Patrick Vieira has been sent off, many, many times but do the southern media give him the kind of stick that they gave Andy? No.

"I'm defending Andy because I believe he's innocent.

"If he was guilty then I wouldn't be jumping to his defence like this, but it was an accident and I know for a fact there was no intent.

"Some of the stuff that's been written about him over the last few days has destroyed his mum, and Andy's wife is bitterly upset as well.

"His name has been dragged through the gutter and some of it has been personal.

"And it's not just against Andy either, it's against the Todd family name as well.

"I can't accept that and I won't accept that.

"The referee got a good view of the incident and he said to Andy at the time he thought it was unintentional.

"But the way he's been treated by certain sections of the media over the last few days is despicable, distasteful and not pleasant to read. It's like they're conducting a witch-hunt."

Todd senior blames the southern-based media for the attack on his son and he believes many have got their knives out because they are judging him based on his past.

The Blackburn defender left his two previous clubs under a cloud following incidents involving Bolton's assistant manager Phil Brown and Charlton goalkeeper Dean Kiely.

But Colin insists Andy is now a reformed character and his disciplinary record this season - he has been booked just five times - supports that view.

"What has happened in the past is history," said Colin.

"There's been no problem with Andy's record recently and I'm sure he has learnt from his previous misdemeanours. I know I did myself.

"In fact, Mark Hughes has had the confidence to give him the captaincy, although someone tried to claim in one of the Sunday papers this weekend that's because of the way Mark wants to play, which is a joke.

"I've never tried to defend Andy in the past when he has done things wrong but on this occasion I can't sit back and let this happen."