IT IS a crisis that Howard Webb needed like a hole in the head.

Ample evidence that some of his referees DO harbour grudges against certain teams.

The sort of nasty video that will only ramp up the conspiracists even further. And while David Coote appears to have sealed his own fate with words he spoke more than four years ago, it is Webb who has to deal with the repercussions now.

Putting out a fire that nobody should have started — and just as refs’ chief Webb and PGMOL appeared to be getting things back in the right direction.

That Webb acted as swiftly as possible cannot be doubted.

Barely two hours had lapsed after Coote’s bizarre comments about Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp and even James Milner had emerged before PGMOL announced the referee’s suspension “with immediate effect”.

The outcome of the investigation is inevitable, especially with Coote conceding it really is him captured burning his reputation and career in front of a camera.

Yet the issue for Webb is that it will bring back up the sort of accusations which, until last season, had been consigned to the wilder fringes of pub corners and social media.

Nottingham Forest’s decision to “out” VAR Stuart Attwell as a Luton fan after controversial calls went against them in a relegation crunch with Everton cost the City Ground club £750,000.

That was the FA sending out a message: Our refs are honest and straight. They have integrity. And you will be punished if you try to stoke up your fanbase.

It was a message that had appeared to be sinking in, at least with the clubs.

What was noticeable from Arsenal earlier this season — despite complaints over red cards for Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and William Saliba — was a seeming determination NOT to play the blame game.

Some fans might want to think the entire fabric of the game is designed to undermine their chances, that refs are biased in favour of one team or another.

But fans have always done that.

It is just that the team who were protected and helped out changed from decade to decade, depending on who was top of the pile. — Sun.