Week in and week out, we are served up an A to Z of football’s many faults. There are times when the game resembles little more than a tawdry parade of abusive fans, avaricious owners, apathetic players and awful managers — and that’s before we get past page one.

This week alone, there were vile incidents of racial abuse in the grandstands and online, orchestrated efforts to remove a man from his job, plus the usual round of sackings, referee baiting, finger pointing and general bad sportsmanship.

Amid all the fuss and scandal, it can be easy to forget this is a sport that can display plenty of dignity, too.

It happened at Manchester City’s stadium yesterday when one man found himself in the middle of a rather uncomfortable career contradiction.

Frank Lampard has been a Chelsea man for as long as anyone cares to remember, although a few Hammers fans might disagree.

His trophies, his fame and his England career were built at one club, the same side he happened to be facing at The Etihad.

Lampard was back in the Premier League via a loan deal with the new MLS franchise New York City, playing against Chelsea for Manchester City. It’s the kind of scenario that usually provokes a sonic wall of boos, a flurry of grubby bedsheets daubed with ‘Judas’ signs and a smattering of coins quite literally thrown in for good measure.

When the script took on an even more unreal turn as Lampard scored the equalising goal, the natural assumption would be to expect all of the above. But they never came. The nastiness never materialised.

Manchester City v Chelsea: Player Ratings 27 show all Manchester City v Chelsea: Player Ratings 1/27 Joe Hart: 5 Didn’t have much to do, and couldn’t have prevented Andre Schurrle’s goal. GETTY 2/27 Pablo Zabaleta: 5 Got forward again and again to support the City attacks, but put his side in trouble when he was sent off in the 65th minute for a second booking. Getty 3/27 Vincent Kompany: 6 Dealt well with the threat of Diego Costa in what was a typically accomplished performance. Getty 4/27 Eliaquim Mangala: 5 A solid debut from the Frenchman, who looked strong when called upon. Getty 5/27 Aleksandar Kolarov: 5 Didn’t offer a great deal going forward but solid defensively. GETTY 6/27 James Milner: 7 Impressive stuff from the England midfielder, who played in three different positions throughout the match, and never stopped working. Provided excellent volleyed assist for Lampard’s goal. Getty 7/27 Fernandinho: 5 Booked in the early stages, which forced the midfielder to curb his naturally combative instincts. Less effective as a result. Getty 8/27 Yaya Toure: 5 Still a long way from his best, and unable to dictate the pace of the match. Getty 9/27 David Silva: 5 A few nice touches, but drifted in and out of the game. Picked up first-half booking. Getty 10/27 Eden Dzeko: 5 Worked hard, but didn’t pose much of a threat. Sacrificed for Bacary Sagna after the Zabaleta sending off. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 17: Edin Dzeko of Man City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St James' Park on August 17, 2014 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Ge 11/27 Sergio Aguero: 6 Almost scored in the second half with effort from inside the box, but mostly starved of chances. Getty 12/27 Bacary Sagna: 5 Looked solid for the final 20 minutes after replacing Dzeko. GETTY 13/27 Jesus Navas: 5 Came on for the final 15 minutes and added pace to the City attack. Getty 14/27 Frank Lampard: 7 Took his goal brilliantly with a trademark volleyed finish, and nearly scored with a couple of other decent efforts. A truly unforgettable 12-minute cameo against his former club. Getty 15/27 Thibaut Courtois: 6 Made decent save to deny Aguero in the second half, and looked calm and composed throughout. 16/27 Branislav Ivanovic: 7 Galloped forward to support the attack that led to Schurrle’s goal, and didn’t put a foot wrong defensively. Getty 17/27 Gary Cahill. 7 Kept Dzeko quiet, and stood up well whenever Aguero tried to take him on. Getty 18/27 John Terry: 7 Marshalled the defence effectively, and largely untroubled. Getty 19/27 Cesar Azpilicueta: 6 Dealt well with Silva, and never looked like getting caught out down his side. Getty 20/27 Cesc Fabregas: 5 A quiet afternoon from the former Arsenal man, who did very little apart from a lovely through ball to Diego Costa late on. GETTY 21/27 Nemanja Matic: 7 Outmuscled Yaya Toure, which takes some doing, and afforded good protection to his back four. Booked in the first half. Getty 22/27 Ramires: 5 Did brilliantly to clear in his own box when Dzeko was about to pounce. Booked in the first half and substituted with an hour gone Getty 23/27 Willian: 5 Worked hard defensively but offered very little going forward. Taken off after an hour. Getty 24/27 Eden Hazard: 6 Created Schurrle’s goal with a sumptuous cross, but was peripheral for the most part. Getty 25/27 Diego Costa: 6 Gave as good as he got physically against Kompany and Mangala, and unlucky not to score when left-footed effort cannoned off the post. Getty 26/27 John Obi Mikel: 5 Added solidity to the Chelsea midfield for the half-hour he was on the pitch. Getty 27/27 Andre Schurrle: 6 Scored just eight minutes after coming on, but lost Milner for Lampard’s goal. Getty 1/27 Joe Hart: 5 Didn’t have much to do, and couldn’t have prevented Andre Schurrle’s goal. GETTY 2/27 Pablo Zabaleta: 5 Got forward again and again to support the City attacks, but put his side in trouble when he was sent off in the 65th minute for a second booking. Getty 3/27 Vincent Kompany: 6 Dealt well with the threat of Diego Costa in what was a typically accomplished performance. Getty 4/27 Eliaquim Mangala: 5 A solid debut from the Frenchman, who looked strong when called upon. Getty 5/27 Aleksandar Kolarov: 5 Didn’t offer a great deal going forward but solid defensively. GETTY 6/27 James Milner: 7 Impressive stuff from the England midfielder, who played in three different positions throughout the match, and never stopped working. Provided excellent volleyed assist for Lampard’s goal. Getty 7/27 Fernandinho: 5 Booked in the early stages, which forced the midfielder to curb his naturally combative instincts. Less effective as a result. Getty 8/27 Yaya Toure: 5 Still a long way from his best, and unable to dictate the pace of the match. Getty 9/27 David Silva: 5 A few nice touches, but drifted in and out of the game. Picked up first-half booking. Getty 10/27 Eden Dzeko: 5 Worked hard, but didn’t pose much of a threat. Sacrificed for Bacary Sagna after the Zabaleta sending off. NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, ENGLAND - AUGUST 17: Edin Dzeko of Man City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St James' Park on August 17, 2014 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Ge 11/27 Sergio Aguero: 6 Almost scored in the second half with effort from inside the box, but mostly starved of chances. Getty 12/27 Bacary Sagna: 5 Looked solid for the final 20 minutes after replacing Dzeko. GETTY 13/27 Jesus Navas: 5 Came on for the final 15 minutes and added pace to the City attack. Getty 14/27 Frank Lampard: 7 Took his goal brilliantly with a trademark volleyed finish, and nearly scored with a couple of other decent efforts. A truly unforgettable 12-minute cameo against his former club. Getty 15/27 Thibaut Courtois: 6 Made decent save to deny Aguero in the second half, and looked calm and composed throughout. 16/27 Branislav Ivanovic: 7 Galloped forward to support the attack that led to Schurrle’s goal, and didn’t put a foot wrong defensively. Getty 17/27 Gary Cahill. 7 Kept Dzeko quiet, and stood up well whenever Aguero tried to take him on. Getty 18/27 John Terry: 7 Marshalled the defence effectively, and largely untroubled. Getty 19/27 Cesar Azpilicueta: 6 Dealt well with Silva, and never looked like getting caught out down his side. Getty 20/27 Cesc Fabregas: 5 A quiet afternoon from the former Arsenal man, who did very little apart from a lovely through ball to Diego Costa late on. GETTY 21/27 Nemanja Matic: 7 Outmuscled Yaya Toure, which takes some doing, and afforded good protection to his back four. Booked in the first half. Getty 22/27 Ramires: 5 Did brilliantly to clear in his own box when Dzeko was about to pounce. Booked in the first half and substituted with an hour gone Getty 23/27 Willian: 5 Worked hard defensively but offered very little going forward. Taken off after an hour. Getty 24/27 Eden Hazard: 6 Created Schurrle’s goal with a sumptuous cross, but was peripheral for the most part. Getty 25/27 Diego Costa: 6 Gave as good as he got physically against Kompany and Mangala, and unlucky not to score when left-footed effort cannoned off the post. Getty 26/27 John Obi Mikel: 5 Added solidity to the Chelsea midfield for the half-hour he was on the pitch. Getty 27/27 Andre Schurrle: 6 Scored just eight minutes after coming on, but lost Milner for Lampard’s goal. Getty

Lampard received the plaudits for refusing to celebrate his goal, admitting he was nearly lost for words and saying he had mixed emotions about being ‘stuck in the middle’. But, gracious and courteous as he was — and I for one would expect nothing less of the man — he was still a professional doing his job. It’s the Chelsea fans that deserve the praise.

They cheered their former player on and off the pitch at the end. They never aimed a jealous jeer in his direction, not even when he scored in an unfamiliar Sky Blue jersey.

The ‘We Love Frank’ signs were in the air when he entered and they were there after his goal snatched away two points that could be vital at the end of the season.

It was just a moment, the kind of happening we could easily gloss over amidst the heat and fury of the Premier League.

Bad news is more interesting; controversy sells, and maybe a tale about people behaving decently should not be considered news.

But just once in a while we should stop and remind ourselves of what football is all about.

So, well done Chelsea fans. I thought that was pure class.

FIFA watch scandal just a waste of time

The fact members of FIFA’s executive committee received £16,400 watches as gifts has caused a lot of fuss.

In the scale of scandals concerning FIFA’s freebie-grabbing, trough-snuffling swine, this is small beer. It’s like complaining that a leather briefcase has gone missing during a gold bullion raid.

In truth, free timepieces are a common perk in the football world. If you look carefully at your TV, you’ll often see a player or TV pundit craftily making sure they position their arm so their freebie watch nudges into a camera shot. This kind of undeclared product placement is a reality in the commercial world.

I know one footballer who receives a four-figure sum every time he takes a swig from a bottle bearing the name of well-known energy drink on television. Let’s just say he is always well hydrated. The rumour is the deal is so lucrative he lives off the endorsements — and sticks his massive wages straight into the bank, untouched.

At this point, I should mention I do not have a watch supplier myself. However, on camera I could develop a very itchy chin, or nose, should that be part of any contractual requirements.

A point lost on Pardew

ALAN Pardew bought himself a week’s respite from the protests when Newcastle United scrambled back from two goals down to draw with Hull City.

However, two important facts remain. The first is that Newcastle have still won just two Premier League games in a dismal run stretching back to March 2.

The second point worth remembering is there is only one club that have won a mere three games in the same miserable period. That’s Hull City. A draw against them is not a great achievement.

No reason to punch Judy

According to scientists, the human brain is 10 per cent smaller than it was 20,000 years ago. This might seem a surprising claim at first glance.

However, following the referendum on Scottish independence, one question seemed to receive undue attention.

A newspaper asked: Will Andy Murray’s pro-independence tweet cost his Mum the Strictly Come Dancing title? Apparently, there are people out there who claimed: “Judy Murray was the real loser of the referendum”.

Reading this, I’d suggest that claims the modern brain is 10 per cent smaller is quite conservative.

Evans above!

My interpretation of Louis van Gaal’s grand plan at Manchester United was aired on this page at the start of the month.

“Throw as many different players into a shapeless, mish-mash of a side in the hope that nobody will notice Johnny Evans is playing,” appears to be the extent of it.

I’ve seen nothing to contradict this. In fact, it’s even worse when Evans goes off injured.

United made a scintillating start against Leicester, including a chip from Angel Di Maria — which David Moyes would have banned — but they seem to be sticking to a 1-1-8 formation, with Evans and then Chris Smalling playing as a sweeper-left-centre-right-back. This is why United have a defence as secure as a paper-tissue truss.

It's just hard cheese, Felix

Last week Felix Magath told fans of the club not to worry because he was sure that tings were about to improve. It turned out he was absolutely right. Magath was sacked.

Now claims have emerged that the German boss bizarrely tried to treat one player's injury by strapping a block of cheese to his leg.

That helps explain the Fulham squad's reaction when Magath departed. I'm told they didn't give Edam.