The £11,500 sandwich! Chris Wilder is hit with hefty FA fine for his bizarre rant at sandwich-eating linesman following Sheffield United’s 3-2 defeat by Crystal Palace in January

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder has been fined £11,500 by the Football Association for his biting remarks about a sandwich-eating assistant referee. 

Wilder was offended when he spotted one of referee Tony Harrington’s assistants chowing down when the Blades manager went to see him after their 3-2 defeat at Crystal Palace last month.

Wilder, who has accepted the charge, branded the sight as a ‘complete lack of respect’ and also called Harrington’s performance ‘ridiculous’ in an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield after the game.

An FA statement read: ‘Chris Wilder has been fined £11,500 for media comments that came after Sheffield United’s game against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Tuesday 30 January.

‘It was alleged that the manager’s comments constitute improper conduct in that they imply bias and/or attack the integrity of the referee, or referees generally, and/or bring the game into disrepute.

Chris Wilder has been charged by the FA after ranting about the officials following Sheffield United’s 3-2 loss at Crystal Palace 

Wilder went to visit referee Tony Harrington to complain but was offended by one of his assistant eating a sandwich during their meeting

‘Chris Wilder accepted this charge, and an independent Regulatory Commission imposed his fine following a hearing.’

Wilder’s fine follows a charge issued to him on Valentine’s Day over the rant, in which he said: ‘It’s yet again another ridiculous performance from the referee.

‘Every 50/50 or tight decision goes against us and if that’s what we’re going to have to deal with between now and the end of the season, we’re going to deal with it.

‘But I’m not just going to go under the radar and not say anything. I’ve been to see the referee and I’ve told him that.

‘One of his assistants was eating a sandwich at the time, which I thought was a complete lack of respect. Hopefully he enjoyed his sandwich while he was talking to a Premier League manager.’

The Blades’ boss was irate that Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta went unpunished after a collision with new goalkeeper Ivo Grbic, who was withdrawn with a concussion, and had broader problems with the standard of officiating. 

He didn’t specify whether Dan Cook (left) or Mark Scholes (right) was the sandwich-eating linesman he took offence at

The Blades’ boss was fuming that Jean-Philippe Mateta was unpunished after a collision which left goalkeeper Ivo Grbic concussed