TIM Cahill's sending-off at the weekend after scoring his first goal for Everton exposed the silly new ruling regarding celebrations.

Some celebrations are a bit extravagant and I wish I could do a triple axle somersault but I can't see anything wrong with whipping your shirt off.

For me, as long as you're not overdoing it and holding the game up, why should we be looking to stop goal celebrations? Cahill got punished for lifting his shirt above his head and I think there's got to be a level of common sense used.

You have to consider the safety aspect and you have got to avoid anybody getting hurt or crushed by railings but I have experienced celebrating goals as a scorer, team-mate and spectator and it's what football is all about. You want to entertain people.

It is very difficult to stay away from your supporters when you get that buzz of adrenalin and the one that sticks in my mind from this season was when Darren Dunning scored twice late on at Dagenham.

It was the first time he had got two in a game in his career and also our first away win for a long time. I don't think Darren overdid it but the referee was whistling and telling us to get away from our supporters.

There was only three minutes to go and I think Dagenham had accepted their fate and their supporters could understand our joy. I think maybe you should have a limit of about 15 seconds of celebrating in those circumstances and then the referee can whistle and get you back to restart the game.

I would not necessarily blame the referees though. They are under pressure to apply the letter of the law and I know the referee who sent Tim Cahill off was almost embarrassed and appeared to be saying: "we have to do it".

But it's a rule that's written down in black and white for all to see. We were sent a poster that is now hanging in our dressing-room that shows a referee brandishing a yellow card to a player with his shirt off. It also says you can't go off the field of play to celebrate with supporters.

I think it's different if you incite the opposition fans but you can even sympathise with players from that point of view. You get footballers who are getting a bit of stick and they respond by putting their fingers to their lips or cupping their ears.

I think that's all part of player and supporter interaction and acceptable as long as the game is not brought into disrepute. It's entertainment. I got a bit of banter from the Crawley fans on Saturday because I said we would be interested in their striker Charlie MacDonald and you have to take it.

I remember 30,000 Millwall fans screaming at me when I dared to have an altercation with Ben Thatcher, who was the darling of the Den at the time. I was then listed as one of the most-hated players by Millwall fans in their fanzine and I remember a few comments along the line of "you won't be a pretty boy much longer" on my return there.

But you accept that in football. There's a good and evil side to supporters and interaction with players needs to be kept in the game as long as that fine line is not crossed.

Updated: 10:55 Thursday, September 16, 2004