Football: Loan rules must be crystal clear.

Byline: BARRY HORNE 

WHEN everybody looked at the fixture list at the start of the season, few would have thought Everton would be heading to Stamford Bridge for anything other than a walk-on part at Chelsea's Premiership title celebrations.

As it is, Everton are going south with something meaningful to play for - fifth place in the Premiership.

It might have all been very different, however, had Manchester United not clawed their way back at Goodison Park.

And during a season when administrative discrepancies and loopholes have been in the headlines (Mascherano, Tevez, Leeds and Boston).

I am surprised that Chelsea didn't make more of the Premier League's decision to clear Everton and United of collusion over Tim Howard's absence from their match.

Clearly I don't wish that to happen, but football is once again in danger of lurching into another round of bad publicity after stumbling out of the bungs for agents criticisms.

For me, there has to be a greater drive from the top this summer to make the rules and guidelines governing the loan system much clearer.

I am a big admirer of Richard Scudamore and he must be the driving force behind this move.

England is always perceived to be the home of fair play and in the last few months this ideal has been doubted.

It's time to right that situation.

CAPTION(S):

DISPUTE: Tim Howard