Soccer federation bans players from wearing neck warmers, was fashion accessory to some

3/5/11, BBC, "Snoods - the beloved neck warmers of precious and pampered footballers - have been banned by the International FA Board.

Initially made famous by a contingent of Manchester City players, including forward Carlos Tevez, snoods have become popular across the country and in all forms of the game.

• But Tevez and company will now have do without
• the popular fashion accessory.

"The IFAB agreed that in relation to Law 4 - Players' Equipment, the wearing of snoods should not be permitted," said football's law makers.

In February, former England captain and current Notts County manager Paul Ince condemned Premier League footballers who wear snoods.

"I'm sick and tired of seeing players, even when it's mild weather, wearing tights and these things [snoods] around their necks. It's not right," Ince told BBC Sport....

"Now you've got snoods, people wearing headphones when they are doing interviews, which I find disrespectful, pink boots, green boots, you name it they've got it, tights -

• they'll be wearing skirts next."

In December, Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson added:

• "Real men don't wear snoods."

And writing on Twitter, United defender Rio Ferdinand said: "U won't see a Man Utd player wearing a snood."

Former Old Trafford midfielder Roy Keane is also not a fan.

He said of players wearing the snood: "They've all gone soft. I don't know how they do it and focus on the game, it's weird. That's the way the game's gone."

But Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who has a number of players in his squad that wear the neck warmer - including midfielder Samir Nasri - defended his players.

"I get advice from the medical team - that's why we let them wear them," the Arsenal boss told the club's website."

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