Jack Wilshere's ban over anti-Spurs chant is beyond ridiculous

Jack Wilshere has become infamous for his off-the-field antics but being charged for “bringing the game into disrepute” by singing a popular Arsenal chant is beyond ridiculous.

It must feel like deja vu for the England international who sung the same chant on the PA system during the Gunners’ FA Cup parade last season and was then warned by the FA about his future conduct.

Arsenal supporters have already started a petition in a bid to overturn Wilshere’s charge (which is expected to be a fine), by insisting “the local rivalry and banter between the club’s supporters is a part of our national sport and there was nothing incendiary about that day or his comments”.

A beer in one hand and microphone in the other was always going to be a worrying concoction for the 23-year-old but you have to question why so much furore has been kicked up about a non-incident which brought smiles to thousands of Gooners outside Emirates Stadium.

There are various incidences of fan chanting which go unpunished every season, in particular the sections of Manchester United and Tottenham supporters who have chanted audible abuse at Arsene Wenger for over the past decade.

Indeed, there’s no doubting that high-profile professional footballers such as Wilshere are role models to young children but charging him for “bringing the game into disrepute” when even Spurs fans themselves have been filmed singing a derivation of the chant does seem quite bizarre.

Smoking outside nightclubs when millions of kids look up to you is completely wrong, as is making middle finger gesture at fans, and it's become increasingly obvious that Wilshere has a habit of not listening to repeated advice from his manager and peers.

But a fine for what happened on Sunday is too much and symbolic of the FA’s inconsistency when it comes to their disciplinary proceedings.

From no action being taken against Carlos Tevez for his ‘RIP Fergie’ banner to Tony Pulis being fined £10,000 for saying “the referee has not made the correct decisions”, it’s about time someone at the FA focused on the important issues at hand: stamping out racism and homophobia.

Wilshere's charge is another reason why the gap between players and fans will continue to widen for years to come.

So Jack, what do you think of the FA?