From The Times March 4, 2008

Referee says he was wrong to send off Frank Lampard
Frank Lampard is likely to escape suspension for his sending-off against West Ham United after Peter Walton, the referee, said yesterday that he was wrong to show the Chelsea midfield player a red card in the 4-0 win at Upton Park on Saturday.

It is understood that Walton wrote to the FA yesterday saying that he had looked at the incident again and had made an error of judgment. Lampard was sent off because, in the view of one of the assistant referees, he struck Luis Boa Morte in the face, although replays showed that he pushed the Portugal winger in the chest.

Lampard’s appeal will be heard by a four-man judicial commission this morning, with Walton’s testimony likely to carry significant weight. Chelsea must prove that there was a “serious and obvious error” to have the card rescinded and have submitted a DVD to support their case, as well as written submissions from several players.

Chelsea have become used to being frustrated by the FA’s streamlined disciplinary process this season, with appeals against the red cards shown to John Obi Mikel, Michael Essien and Ashley Cole rejected, but they are confident of being satisfied on this occasion. Although Jérémie Aliadière, the Middlesbrough striker, suffered the double blow of being given a four-match ban as punishment for a “frivolous” appeal against his sending-off against Liverpool the weekend before last, there is one precedent in Chelsea’s favour this season, with Lee Bowyer having a red card rescinded after West Ham United’s league match against Birmingham City.

If Lampard achieves a similar result, he will be available for the FA Cup sixth-round tie against Barnsley on Saturday. Lampard’s potential availability will give Avram Grant, the Chelsea first-team coach, another selection headache