Battle Line in the Football Sex War have been drawn

Battle lines have been drawn in a war of the sexes in English football after a disgruntled coach described the use of women match officials as "tokenism for politically-correct idiots."

Luton Town manager Mike Newell apologised on Monday for comments he made about lineswoman Amy Rayner after his side were denied a penalty in their 3-2 defeat by Queens Park Rangers at the weekend.

"She should not be here," Newell had been quoted as saying in the British media. "I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist.

"It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have but if you start bringing in women, you have a big problem.

"This is Championship (second division) football. This is not park football. It is tokenism for the politically-correct idiots."

However, interviewed by Sky Sports News before training on Monday, a contrite Newell said: "I want to publicly apologise to Amy Rayner and anybody else that I've offended.

"The comments that were made after the game were ill-timed and out of order."

Though he said: "I very rarely say things I don't mean," the Luton manager stressed he had been wrong to let his frustration get the better of him "in the heat of the moment."

Newell's earlier comments have raised the hackles of women involved in the English game.

Heather Rabbatts, who is executive chairman of second division Millwall, told BBC radio on Monday: "It was a slightly staggering comment to be made.

"It's ludicrous to suggest that women are somehow genetically incapable of being good referees.

"As with many other areas in which women have gradually over the years clawed their way into being treated equally they've done it by huge amounts of hard work and often having to be, as we all know, probably twice as good as men."

Calling for action, Rabbatts added: "We have to tackle sexism in football just as we tackle racism in football."

Rachel Yankey, an England women's international told the BBC: "Amy is a role model."

She added: "If the decision was wrong he might attack the assistant referee but he should not say she should not be in the game simply because she is a woman.

The comments could spell trouble with the Football Association, who are fully behind Rayner.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick said on the ruling body's Web site that "officials like Amy Rayner get to where they are on merit, dedication and ability.

"They get the vast majority of their decisions right. Of course they make the odd mistake but so too do players and managers."

An FA spokesman said on Monday that Newell's comments were "under consideration."

Newell is also in hot water with his club for his post-match comments, which included a tirade at chairman Bill Tomlins.

The club said on its Web site on Monday that it had called an emergency board meeting for 4.00pm (1600 GMT) later that day to discuss the comments.