Reds Should Select Dawson

Barnsley midfielder Stephen Dawson has been named as one of 13 footballers who have been arrested in connection with spot-fixing.

Dawson plus six players from Preston along with six other men originally in December were all arrested yesterday as part of an investigation into alleged bribery and money laundering.

Many fans on forums and social media are already calling for Dawson to be suspended until the matter is closed. I believe that it is innocent until proven guilty and that Dawson should continue to be selected.

To begin with, none of us know any facts at the moment and Dawson could be merely helping with enquiries. Being taken in for questioning by the police doesn’t mean he is guilty of taking any bribes.

On current form he has to be one of the first names on the team sheet and Barnsley should continue to select him if Danny Wilson believes he is the best man for the job.

Preston have already announced that all of their players will be available for selection and Barnsley should follow suit.

My one worry if Dawson is selected would be the reaction of some of the crowd. There has been a bit of a witch hunt against Dawson for some time now and I get the feeling that some fans are looking for any excuse to have a go at Dawson despite his recent impressive displays.

For me Barnsley are better with Dawson in the team than when he is not so if he is in the right frame of mind then he must be selected.

The fans must then get behind the player throughout the match and get behind the team as we search for another vital three points in our fight against the drop.