Great Escape for Hammers?

I should nail my colours to the mast early on in this article, as a Fulham fan I was desperate for West Ham to receive the proper punishment for playing ineligible players in the Premiership.

The whole Tevez, Maschareno episode has put a cloud over West Ham's season, and today's findings from the FAPL investigation are almost laughable.

In effect they would have deducted points, but we are now too near to the end of the season for them to enforce the proper punishment.

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the investigation, a line has now been drawn under the whole sorry episode.

Tevez is free to play in the remaining games, and West Ham boosted by this news now have a great chance of escaping the drop.

The prices available in the relegation battle have been wrong for a number of weeks now.

West Ham are available to lay at 1.33 and there is definitely some value in getting with the Londoners.

I fully expect them to get a result at Wigan tomorrow, and then 3 points from a home clash with a faltering Bolton side will probably be enough to secure an unlikely salvation.

Fulham are still available to back for relegation at a far bigger price than is realistic (4.00). The Whites are in freefall and are unlikely to pick up another point this season, and their goal difference could be fatally wounded at Arsenal on Sunday.

Gordon Taylor, chairman of the PFA was quoted today "Fans of other clubs may not be [happy with the verdict] but if you need to stay in a division because another club has been deducted points it's not the sporting ethos you would want."

"I can't believe anyone would want to stay up that way."

Well Mr Fat Cat Taylor, I know at least 20,000 Fulham fans, loads of Charlton, Wigan and Sheffield Utd fans who would disagree