Barnsley's campaign to get justice for the horrible injury Iain Hume suffered at the hands of Chris Morgan has been given backing in Parliament!
Labour MP Eric Illsley first raised the issue to get the Football Association to reverse their decision to not further punishment Morgan for the elbow that fractured Hume's skull, and Illsley has received further support from Livingstone MP Jim Devine, Barnsley West MP Michael Clapham, Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock, Broxtowe MP Nick Palmer and Keighkey MP Ann Cryer.
All five Mps are calling for the FA to drop their "Respect" campaign until the Morgan/Hume case has been reviewed.
Illsley's Early Day Motion reads as follows:
"That this House views with astonishment the decision by the Football Association to take no further action against the Sheffield United player Chris Morgan following an incident during Barnsley's match against Sheffield United on 8 November 2008 which resulted in the admission of Barnsley player Iain Hume to a hospital intensive care unit suffering from a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain; and calls on the Football Association to review this decision and either to take action against what can only be described as violent conduct or to abandon once and for all its so-called Respect Agenda in view of the lack of protection given to Iain Hume and the complete failure of football's governing body to deal properly with this issue." (From edmi.parliament.uk)
Meanwhile Hume has raised Reds fans hopes by claiming he hopes to be back in some sort of training by the end of February. Hume has currently been out for four and a half weeks since the incident on the 8th November and is now out of hospital. It is thought Hume would not be able to par-take in full training, so would not be able to head the ball, but could do some light work in a couple of months.
And finally, former Barnsley captain Brian Howard grabbed his first goal for new club Sheffield United last night in the 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Ironically Barnsley wasted a host of chances at the City Ground before losing 1-0 nearly two weeks ago. Howard scored in the 31st minute to haul the Blades up to fifth in the Championship. It was Howard's first strike for United in his 11th appearance. Howard's loan move to Bramall Lane will become permanent on the 1st January 2009 for a fee of £500,000.