YEP Says: One way to make Leeds United owner's son see error of his ways

Instinctive, yes. Appropriate, no.

Especially if you’re a company director; and a director, at that, of one of the most famous football clubs in the world.

Young Edoardo Cellino, 24, who has been a member of Leeds United’s board since his father bought the club in April 2014, has been charged by the Football Association over offensive social media comments in which he called a Leeds fan a “spastic” (amongst other things).

Quite why he felt this word was an appropriate word to use is beyond us. It is offensive beyond belief and nothing, nothing excuses it.

His defence: “I did not fully understand the severity of the words used as English is not my first language. I can only apologise” is paltry indeed.

That the Cellino family hail from Sardinia offers no excuse – or justification – for using disparaging terms that belong to a bygone age.

They have been at the helm of Elland Road long enough to realise that the owners of such clubs have a moral duty to set a good example. If Cellino junior can’t abide by this, he isn’t fit to hold the position.

As for a punishment, let the FA do their worst by all means.

But also put him in front of any parent with a disabled child and they’ll tell him what’s what. He’ll be all the humbled for it.