BOBBY ROBSON has issued a stark warning that the goodwill of the paying public will be lost if England's professional footballers strike over their demand for a greater share of TV revenue.

Newcastle United's former England manager believes Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor is wrong to ballot his 3,500 membership on industrial action.

Robson, mindful that some of his own players may be in favour of withdrawing their labour for televised games, chose his words carefully when asked about the crisis yesterday.

"I don't really want to say too much," said Robson, who has several big-earners on the books at St James' Park, including £40,000-a-week captain Alan Shearer.

"But this matter has to be resolved around the negotiating table. If players strike they will be taking the wrong decision and I don't think they will get any public sympathy.

"I would advise them to get it out of their heads. I admire Gordon Taylor and I think he is a fantastic negotiator.

"He has done a wonderful job and he has looked after players beyond their wildest dreams.

"But strike action now would leave them on a bad wicket. They would not get sympathy from managers or fans and it would be a bad thing for the PFA to do. They have got to negotiate."

However, the only action Shearer is threatening tonight is to make lowly Leicester pay for the one that got away thanks to the Dubious Goals Committee.

Robson was furious to learn that his skipper had been "robbed'' of the winner in the remarkable 4-3 victory over Manchester United by the Premier League's faceless panel of goal judges.

It means that the Premiership's highest scorer goes into the game against the Foxes nursing a grievance and still five short of a century of League goals for his club.

Shearer last night revealed he would be appealing against the ruling, and Robson said: "I don't know who makes those decisions, but I wish they could make the same decisions on referees. Then we might be given a penalty!"

Shearer's late strike at St James' Park 11 days ago has been expunged and debited instead to England defender Wes Brown, who deflected the goalbound shot past Laurent Blanc and keeper Fabien Barthez.

But Robson insisted that the injustice would simply serve to whet Shearer's appetite for goals even more against a club on whom he inflicted a 13-minute hat-trick five seasons ago.

"Alan is disappointed," said Robson. "He would like that goal and Brown doesn't want it. I find it strange because it just creates controversy out of an incident that should have been left alone.

"I can understand it if the shot was going wide. But I can't understand how they can come to a decision like this if the ball is going goalwards and then it's deflected. If a shot goes in off the keeper you don't say it's an own goal."

Newcastle, anxious to make quick amends for the 3-0 hammering at West Ham on Sunday, will move into the Premiership's top five if they win tonight.

In marked contrast, Leicester are one place off the bottom, yet only 11 months ago manager Peter Taylor and Robson were seen by the FA as the dream-ticket partnership to lead England until Sven-Goran Eriksson became free to take up the post.

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd vetoed the plan, much to Robson's disappointment, and Taylor took charge for England's friendly in Italy last November.

Taylor's star was in the ascendant then, but now he is fighting for his future at Filbert Street. Robson, who believes Taylor will prove his managerial mettle given time, observed: "When Peter went there last year he was hailed as a future top manager.

"He has come under pressure, but I think he'll be fine.

"He just needs to be given some leeway. I know what he's going through because I had it rough when I first went to Ipswich.

"But I was given time to put things right and I don't need to tell you what we achieved after that. People should let Peter get on with the job. I'd say encourage him, don't demolish him."

Robson and Taylor share mutual admiration, with the Leicester boss describing his 68-year-old counterpart as "fantastic''.

He said: "It's lovely that people like Bobby, who have got so much out of the game, are still willing to put so much back into it.

"As long as you have that enthusiasm and belief, you'll never lose the style, ability and knowledge he has.

"He's a fantastic man. I just hope I'm doing the job at his age.''

Robson is unlikely to risk Gary Speed tonight, even though the midfielder is back in full training following the hamstring injury which has forced him to miss the last four matches.

Wayne Quinn, Aaron Hughes and Warren Barton are also sidelined, but Robson insisted that Laurent Robert's chances of playing are not in doubt despite talk of a heel injury.

Read more about Newcastle FC here.