HONESTY is said to be the best policy. Brian Laws at least hopes the idiom proves correct.

For although Martin Olsson admitted he conspired to win Sunday’s derby by deceptive means, and succeeded, it is not a tactic Laws would encourage, despite being desperate for points.

In any case, he doesn’t think his players are capable of deceit.

“I haven’t got anybody to dive,” said Laws, when asked if Mike Dean’s penchant for penalties – awarding an average of one in every 1.5 games – was something he had identified before the game, as rivals Blackburn Rovers had.

“I’ve got too many honest players in the football club and I wouldn't even suggest to them to think like that.

“I certainly wouldn’t be targeting referees in that discussion. That’s going beyond it if you’re going to target a referee on what you believe he’s going to give.

“I don’t think it’s right to play into that path.”

Not even predicting that his players need to win half of their remaining six games to survive – half as many as they’ve won all season – would prompt him to change his mind.

But Laws has been stunned to see the punishments haven’t fitted the ‘crime’ against them.

For starters, the FA have decided against charging utility man Olsson with improper conduct, despite a confession that both Laws and Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce described as “naive”.

To rub further salt in the wounds, referee Dean will take charge of tomorrow’s potential title decider between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford.

“It’s mad that he’s been rewarded by this magnificent game – the biggest of the weekend,” said Laws.

“We have to take that on the chin. There’s nothing we can do about it. It’s other people’s decision, not mine.

“I’m just disappointed on two counts. One was the fact that a football club had targeted this referee as being one of the worst for giving penalties away, and secondly a player admitting the fact that he dived. It’s a cruel blow.

“Some might say they admire his honesty, others might say it’s a bit naive.

“I think it’s more the latter.

“I don’t think Sam Allardyce will have appreciated that coming out.

“And I’m sure it will pain (Dean) to see what’s happened. It certainly hasn’t been kept quiet, it’s been aired now and he’ll obviously have to respond to it.

“Maybe psychologically he’ll be going into games now thinking he can’t give any.

“It might be a stonewall penalty and he doesn’t give it. Who knows?

“But the problem we’re dealing with is human error. Not robots. We’re not going to get it right every time. That’s what football’s all about – errors. That’s where goals come from. Mistakes. Players do it, managers do it, and so do referees.”

Laws drew a rational conclusion to his mini-rant. He would rather look to the future – starting with tomorrow’s visit of Roberto Mancini’s men – than dwell on things he can’t change.

“We have got to turn the formbooks upside-down a wee bit,” said the 48-year-old.

“Things will turn for us. We’ve had a little bit of bad luck on our side and when you look over the last few games in particular we’ve been so close to getting of something out of them that I feel for the players because they’ve worked so hard in the games and it’s such a narrow margin with which we’re losing now. That’s how close it is.”