January 2 2001

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace defender NEIL RUDDOCK was blasted by his boss Alan Smith, who said RUDDOCK is setting a bad example to younger players in the first team.

RUDDOCK has been sent off twice already this season and the Smith is extremely upset about that.

Smith believes the former England man should be setting a better example for the younger players who look up to him.

"If you stick a youngster on the transfer list it is a major kick up the back side for him. If you do that to a cynical old pro he will just start talking about his loyalty bonus-it won't faze him," Smith said.

"With young players you can speak to them and what you say what might make a difference. But what can I say to NEIL that he hasn't heard already? NEIL has been sent off twice and that sets a bad example."

Smith has defended his decision to let his players undergo regular tests for drink and drugs during the Christmas and New Year period.

Smith wanted to avoid embarrassing situations like when then Palace player Chris Armstrong was caught having consumed cannabis.

He denied however, that he suspected any of his players of any wrong doing.

He added: "We do not suspect the players of any abuse, it is just normal procedure now to go ahead with these tests and we hope that people will not read too much into it.

"It is just routine in the players' general well being, making sure that their bodies, like cars going for a service, need to be looked at."