Phil Dowd, definitely not on Paul Jewell's Xmas card list

Just leave it Paul, he's not worth it… Wigan Athletic manager Paul Jewell has claimed, in the Daily Mail, that a Premiership club asked not to have referee Phil Dowd in charge of their games: 'We can't as a club say we don't want him but I know a certain club that has asked,' he told the Mail. 'I know they didn't have him when they should have this season. Maybe some clubs have more influence than others.' Hmm, who could this mysterious club be? Man Utd perhaps? Or Arsenal? One of the big four, by the sound of it.

Jewell has already been charged by the FA for previous comments about Dowd, and this won't do his case any good. I understand he is still upset about losing 2-1 to Arsenal, but in the interests of ensuring Wigan's Premiership survival, he should move on, don't you think?