McCabe wants FA apology

Sheffield United chairman Kevin McCabe has demanded an apology from the Football Association over their handling of the Carlos Tevez affair.

The Blades take on Burnley in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final at Wembley on Monday and a win for United will wipe out at a stroke most of the residual outrage following their unsatisfactory relegation from the Barclays Premier League in 2007.

The Sheffield-born property tycoon said: "I really think the Premier League should apologise to us because this was not a grey area. All fair and reasonable men know we should not have been relegated."

McCabe fought tirelessly for justice following the FA's refusal to dock West Ham points for breaking rules on third-party player ownership.

The FA fined West Ham £5.5million, but allowed Carlos Tevez to appear in the Hammers' last three matches of the 2006/7 season and he played a key role in their survival at the expense of Sheffield United.

An independent panel has since ruled in the Blades' favour and a £20million settlement was agreed out of court between the two clubs in March, but McCabe remains angry the game's ruling body has never said sorry.

Asked whether victory at Wembley would signify redemption, McCabe replied: "Maybe. I think a line would be drawn under the affair when the two clubs compete again for the first time, hopefully back in the Premier League.

"There is an irony in that we could be promoted and that would coincide with our settlement with West Ham. But West Ham is a great club. After all the trauma there has been unification.

"I'm a bit more philosophical now. Since relegation we've been fighting our case, fighting the establishment, but this has not affected what we've been trying to do on the field."