ALBION boss Chris Hughton has raised the issue of dissent to referees with his players as he welcomes one defender back from a ban but risks losing another.

Hughton spoke to the squad on the subject yesterday morning as part of preparations for tomorrow’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday.

Gaetan Bong returns from suspension at Hillsborough but Lewis Dunk is on the brink of also being banned for five bookings.

The FA, Premier League and Football League launched a summer crackdown on disrespect towards referees.

Albion have already fallen foul of the new directive. Bong’s fifth caution of the campaign against Barnsley last Saturday was for dissent.

That ruled him out of Tuesday’s game at Ipswich, in which the first of two yellow cards for the dismissed Dale Stephens was also for dissent.

Hughton has followed up a post-match demand to cut out the backchat by addressing his players specifically on the matter.

He told The Argus: “Certainly the players are aware of it now. Looking at other clubs, it’s not just something that we have to deal with.

“The rules have changed and referees are going to give more yellow cards for dissent than before.

“It has already been shown, so we’ve got to be more conscious of that. The last thing that we need to be picking up is silly yellow cards that end up with players getting sent-off or reaching five bookings or ten bookings.

“Yellow cards in general I’ve no problem with on the competitive side, a late or misplaced challenge.”

Another booking for Dunk tomorrow would prompt two-and-a-half weeks of frustration. The in-form central defender would not be available then until the second game after the international break at home to Wolves.