What I was trying (obviously unsuccessfully) to get across is that Mr Mabbutt, quality player that he was and fully conversant with the Laws of the game as I assume him to be has little experience of the quality of player who 'graces' Non League Football.
A Premiership player who committed to a challenge like the one in question would indeed be acting irresponsibly but this wasn't a Premier League player with premier league ability, quality or judgement...if he did have he'd not have been playing for Ashton would he? The better quality player like those Mr Mabbutt is more familiar with would not have had to make a challenge like that.
How many times have we commented on the additional 'quality' of professionals and the extra time they seem to have? That's the difference and that's why I think that someone other than Mr Mabbutt may have been a better expert witness.
As for your comment about broken legs well that, I'm afraid is just ridiculous as no broken leg (or any other serious injury) is acceptable from Junior football to the world cup.
From some of the reporting’s of the case, the judge and witnesses accepted that a player from a lower league may not have the same abilities as those higher up the pyramid. Certainly Colin little has a better reading of the game than compared to titus bramble. However, at the time of the case Mabbutt was very high up in the FA's disciplinary department - being one of those people handing out retrospective bans, looking at appeals, and giving feedback to referees for the football league, premiersh*te, fa cup and fa trophy. So, he may in fact be the better qualified to answer a question on a situation rather than a person more accustomed to making an instant decision. The case itself is complex, there is set formula that courts have, but they do take into account all of what you have said, including; weather, atmosphere, player's ability, score line, referee's report, other players and management testimony.
I have many sympathies for Ashton, yet they have spent thousands on a case that they realistically couldn’t win. I sincerely hope this episode hasn’t led to the end of a local football club.