was gonna say the same about ice hockey,
personally I'm a big football fan, but if they made fighting acceptable like in hockey i bet it wouldn't happen,
i can see it now
" right dickheads, you wanna fight, do it, you two, Van persie, ashley cole get it over with" i somehow think they'd change there minds if they might actually get a smack in the mouth rather than be able to slap each other round the back of the head.
i imagine certain players would revel in a good punch up, would make it more interesting for the fans, would offer something else of a speckle, like cheer leader in american football.