Sol Campbell has threatened to quit international football after the FA's witch-hunt.

England manager Sven Göran Eriksson arranged a special meeting where the Arsenal defender cleared the air with FA chief executive Mark Palios and chief director David Davies.

"It was a constructive conversation which needed to be had," according to an FA spokesman.

Campbell is incensed with the FA after the controversial sending-off against Manchester United at the end of last season and the upcoming trial by television of his retaliation in the Community Shield game. The England manager has given moral support to Campbell, saying that the player has been "extremely unlucky".

"He wanted to have a hearing last season and he didn't get it and it's understandable that he's very disappointed," Eriksson told the Guardian.

"Sol is not a dirty player. He is a very tough player and I think it hurts to run into him."

Arsenal are defending their star, and are "ready to go to war". Quote the Sun, who helpfully have made moving images from the debacle in Cardiff available to illustrate the club's point.

A personal hearing have been requested, and Arsenal will defend Sol Campbell to the hilt - " ...especially in light of the initial challenge made on Sol by Eric Djemba-Djemba," a club statement says.

A shoulder injury is said to keep Campbell out of tonight's game against Croatia in Ipswich. Eriksson assures that the injury is genuine, and that Campbell suffered it before being sent off in Saturday's Everton game.

If found guilty Campbell will be banned for three matches - probably including the visit to Old Trafford on 21 September and the home match with Newcastle five days later.

The FA's handling of this case recalls the controversy surrounding Alan Shearer ahead of France '98, the Independent comments.

The England captain at the time threatened to walk out on England if he was punished after kicking Neil Lennon in the head. After a delay Shearer was charged and found not guilty.