Leeds seem to have taken a rather different view of the two red cards we received during Saturday’s defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion.

We’ve launched an appeal against the first dismissal of the day, when Austin was dismissed for alledgedly striking Ashley Barnes. I didn’t see the incident during the game as I was following the ball and I assumed he must have taken Barnes out in retaliation for a tackle a minute earlier.

But on TV it looked completely innocuous; as Rudy seems to do nothing more than put an arm out to block Barnes, who promptly collapsed on the floor as if he’d been shot. The appeal will be heard early this week by the FA, in time to determine his availability for Saturday’s game at Watford. And  while that game isn’t important to us, we could do without him being ruled out of the first two games of next season, when it will matter.

In contrast, the club is making no appeal against the Diouf dismissal, and have fined the Senegal man two weeks wages. Diouf was constantly abused by the large travelling mob from the south coast, and after scoring our equaliser from the spot he ran over to fondle his private parts in front of them, a gesture which led to his red card after it was spotted by the linesman.

Diouf carried on by sarcastically waving to the Brighton fans as he went down the tunnel, but he now seems to have calmed down a little bit. Brian McDermott told the official website “I’ve spoken to El-Hadji Diouf and he has apologised regarding the sending off on Saturday. He has accepted the sending off and the club have fined him two weeks’ wages which is the maximum we can do. I’ve had a good conversation with Dioufy regarding the future, he is fully committed for what is to come next season.”

So that’s it then. I’m sure he’ll be absolutely no trouble from now on.

Photo: Action Images

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