I think that whilst there is undoubtedly cheating in games (ball ripping, deliberate high shots, facials etc), I don't think these events have a game defining impact. You don't get players acting to get other players sent off. You don't really get people cheating to get tries or penalties. Obviously there are exceptions but the problem is much worse in football than anything else

Leeds United fan Aaron Cawley has been jailed for four months after pleading guilty to assaulting Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.
Prosecutor Paul Macaulay said Cawley told police he had drunk several cans of Stella Artois on Friday morning, three-quarters of a litre of vodka and a further seven to 10 pints of cider after arriving in Sheffield.
Cawley, 21, from Cheltenham, appeared at Sheffield Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to assault and invading the pitch during a highly-charged game at Hillsborough, which ended 1-1. The court heard he had been the subject of two football banning orders in the past, which he had breached four times.

I am surprised he was able to walk after that amount of alchol consumption.

Not only that but he can afford to do it all whilst being on the dole

I suspect a combination of the circumstances in which trhe push was administered (being on the field of play is an offence in the first place) and the fact that he had previously breached his banning orders on multiple occasions might have forced the judge's hand a bit.

I agree that the Mail/Express reading masses are too quick to call for jail, but in this case it seems most other options have been exhausted doesn't it?

The breach of his banning order will have been the final straw as far as the judge was concerned . Obviously the courts take a dim view of anybody ignoring the courts orders.

And going on facebook or whatever and boasting about the incident won't have helped. Courts like remorse.

It's all about which side of the river you're from. Them southerners are a different breed.

Not a bad result for the lad , with time off for a guilty plea should be out for the Boxing day game

how does someone with a banning order get an away ticket from Elland Road, I thought they were restricted to members only. Has papa smurf changed the rules ?

Got a friend to buy it for him?

You do, but very few clubs actually check the membership card and the match ticket to see if the names match. It'd only be at clubs that are forced to (ie, Millwall) where he'd be likely to be noticed.