THE latest ‘goal that never was’ controversy has promoted Gary Megson to urge FA’s rule-makers to take a leaf out of rugby league’s book if they intend to rid the game of its most contentious issues.

The Wanderers boss has long-since championed the use of video technology, such as that used in Super League, to assist officials in making key decisions.

And he believes rugby’s use of in-game physios could also provide a remedy to players feigning injury and wasting time.

The debate over in-goal technology has once again hit the headlines after referee Rob Shoebridge failed to spot a legitimate goal by Crystal Palace midfielder Freddie Sears in a match against Bristol City last weekend.

Some of the game’s top managers have called for action. And it was with a certain amount of irony that Megson found himself agreeing with Palace boss Neil Warnock — a long-standing nemesis — after Saturday’s incident at Ashton Gate.

“It was a goal, no doubt about it,” he said.

“And the propensity for it to happen again will always be there unless they can get something — like the technology that already exists — and use it.

“It’s happened to us when we have had the ball over the line and it wasn’t given. It will have happened to everybody.

“I have been going on about it for donkey’s years, and I can’t understand why they seem so against using something that will help the game.

“Okay they might not be able to use it in a local game on a Sunday morning.

“But I overlook a cricket ground at my house and I don’t see them needing Hawkeye to make decisions.

“At the level we are talking about I cannot see any reason not to use it.”

Wanderers have found themselves on the wrong end of such decisions in the past — most memorably when Gerry Taggart’s headed ‘goal’ against Everton in 1997 was disallowed by referee Stephen Lodge.

Phil Dowd made a similar call 11 years later at the Reebok, ruling out Danny Shittu’s header against Wigan Athletic.

Megson is keen to use technology to its fullest extent in the game and in his first season at the Reebok, used television replays on a 15-second delay to review contentious decisions in the dugout — something that has since been outlawed in the Premier League. And the Wanderers boss also believes that rugby can show the way forward in another problematic area in modern day football.

Earlier this month, Sir Alex Ferguson warned that the growing tactic of players feigning injury so they can disrupt an opposition attack is “killing the game”.

The Manchester United chief called for the responsibility of stopping play for an injured player to receive treatment should be left entirely in the hands of the referee.

But Megson believes the issue could be eradicated completely by allowing physios to freely enter the field of play.

“One of Sir Alex’s comments was that he didn’t know how we could get round it,” he said.

“I’m not the fount of all knowledge but I think I do –and that’s copying what they do in rugby league.

“They let the physio come on and let them treat the player while the game goes on. They are not ‘live’ so they don’t keep anyone on-side.

“If the ball hits them, tough, but you won’t see anyone lying down for three minutes then while his team are down to 10 men.”