Beckham admits deliberate booking

Beckham got himself booked during England's game against Wales, knowing the resulting ban would coincide with missing a game through injury.

But Dixon told BBC Sport: "A few people might raise an eyebrow as it has never been admitted to before.

"But that sort of thing has been going on for years in football. It's not cheating - it's just common sense."

Dixon's reaction was echoed by his former Arsenal and England team-mate Nigel Winterburn, who insisted any investigation into Beckham's revelations would be a waste of time.

"Fifa is apparently going to look into it, but in my eyes they have got nothing to look into.

"People might say it was cynical, but there is no further punishment necessary."

It's a form of professionalism and as a professional footballer at the highest level you do push the limits of the law right to the edge Lee Dixon What will Becks say next?

Dixon suggested that Beckham's ploy to deliberately earn himself a suspension for a game he would have missed through injury in any case was a simple act of professionalism.

He said: "If that upsets people then so be it, but it is not bringing the game into disrepute to use your brain a little bit.

"To miss the Azerbaijan game is not the worst thing in the world and if he is injured then it makes sense.

"I don't really see why there is a big hoo-ha about it. We're not talking about playing on the park here, it's a professional game played at the highest level and in international football you need your best players on the pitch."

But Dixon revealed there were more subtle ways of players picking up a "convenient" booking.

"Clearly it's not ideal for players on a yellow card to go around kicking people. I'm not condoning that because it was a poor tackle and deserved a yellow card.

The job of the England captain is to lead by example From Gooner since '67 Have your say on 606

"Maybe he should have gone about it in a different way. I perhaps would have thrown the ball away and pushed the referee into making a decision.

"It's a form of professionalism and as a professional footballer at the highest level you do push the limits of the law right to the edge.

"There are certain decisions you make on a football pitch which you have regrets about. But I don't think David will have any regrets about coming out and saying this."

He went out to deliberately foul him - but didn't set out to deliberately hurt him Nigel Winterburn

Winterburn also believes players take calculated gambles during a game and believes Beckham has taken a justified course of action.

"I think loads of ex pros will tell you they have committed fouls on players almost on a risk assessment basis during the game," Winterburn told BBC Sport.

"If David Beckham knew he was going to miss the next game then he has probably done the right thing.

"He has got a booking and a suspension out of the way and when he is fit he will be ready to come back into the team.

"If a Premiership player was going out to do it and make sure he misses what people term a less important game then I'm not in favour.

"But if Beckham knew he was injured and was going to miss next game anyway then there is no problem.

"He went out to deliberately foul him - but didn't set out to deliberately hurt him. It's important to separate the two."