THANK goodness common sense prevailed over the farcical goal incident in the Arsenal v Sheffield United Cup-tie.

Arsene Wenger is to be congratulated on his sporting stance in asking for the game to be replayed tonight.

No one concerned really broke the rules - it was more of a sporting moral issue.

Managers, more often than not, would have been happy to have let the result stand. Players know the rules - always play to the whistle.

The referee goes by the rules and can't adjust the situations to his own liking.

This gesture will do a lot of good for the image of the game, but guidelines for similar eventualities in future need putting into place.

K SOWERBUTTS, Southwood Drive, Baxenden.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.