[RN Blue]

Bill Shankly said "Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important".

Referees have an incredibly hard job to do, trying to herd 22 footballers through a game, maange the expectations of thousands of football fans and in the heat of the moment try to get a decision right.

I agree Mr Mason was a shambles, but it wasn't him that cost us the game, it was our own errors and frailties. Yes his red card decision cost us, but how long did we have 11 men on the pitch and not put the game to bed?

Yes referreeing decsions incense us all, but they certainly don't warrant death threats.

I support the Scottish Referees strike and perhaps a solution is to bring in outside refs for old firm games to avoid a repitition? We all know that the animosity between those 2 teams far exceeds football rivalry, but allowing religious hatred to validate these sort of threats is a disgrace.

Fantastic quote from Bill Shankly but should never be taken literally, life is too short.

If I ever meet George Courtney I would like to think I would engage with him over what consitutes a corner and David Elleray, well, I'd ask him what the f**k he thought he was playing at, that ball was clearly over the line, but I wouldn't ever consider a physical attack - well not these days

[Goku]

When it starts to end up with threats to families and possible physical abuse then of course things have gone too far. Do I support the referee strike? Not one bit, these referees are potentially costing clubs a lot of money if the SFA can't organise replacement refs quickly enough.

[Goku]

Mark Jones, on 26 November 2010 - 12:59 PM, said:

But thats the whole point, things have gone too far. The SFA are not giving them the support and protection they and their families need, what else can they do if no one is listening?

They have reached desperation, hence the strike. Its a last resort for them.

What do you think the SFA could do to help the referees and their families? Any examples?

I can't really think of much to be honest.

[Goku]

I understand what you mean but take our recent match against Burton. I don't remember any surrounding of Lee Mason but the crowd were baying for his blood. There is blame on both sides of the park regarding referees vs fans/managers/players. Most referees make themselves unapproachable and refuse to explain their decisions or apologise. Sheridan said he tried to talk to Lee Mason about some of his decisions but he refused to speak back to Sheridan.

Things like this wind people up and cause the aggro.

[RN Blue]

Referees will always cause upset by the sheer nature of the job they do. I did a course run by an ex-premiership referee, who told me once that in a west ham game there was a foul in the build up but he waved play on and Teddy Sheringham scored, the ref celebrated as he was happy that his decision not to blow up for a foul and let the play carry on was ultimately justified. He was crucified by the press and opposition fans. Can't remember his name but nice bloke.

I still believe that they are right to strike, Scottish refs have been coming in for a lot of abuse of late and there is no-one to defend them. Sadly, their strike action won't affect anything as refs from elsewhere will cover short term.

The distinct lack of respect shown to officials by fans, players and staff is awful. In rugby the referee never ever suffers this sort of abuse and some of those big lads are scary, so why then do football refs suffer so much?

[Odysseus]

I thought this dispute wasn’t initially about referees making mistakes, and them taking stick for that, but about managers claiming they were biased towards other teams which then led to the death threats?

If that is the case then fair play to them, it may make clubs in England realise that things said about ref's can go too far some times.

[Goku]

RN Blue, on 26 November 2010 - 01:53 PM, said:

The distinct lack of respect shown to officials by fans, players and staff is awful. In rugby the referee never ever suffers this sort of abuse and some of those big lads are scary, so why then do football refs suffer so much?

Maybe referees in Rugby actually communicate with players and managers? (Not a sarcastic response, I don't know if they do).

[clarevoyant.]

Haslandboi, on 26 November 2010 - 04:31 PM, said:

Maybe referees in Rugby actually communicate with players and managers? (Not a sarcastic response, I don't know if they do).

Perhaps the refs don't communicate (of the pitch)because it's them against the world, managers and media are very good at twisting things, but seriously though it could be something to do with their employers instructions

This post has been edited by clarevoyant.: 26 November 2010 - 04:43 PM

[BlueRover52]

Haslandboi, on 26 November 2010 - 04:31 PM, said:

Maybe referees in Rugby actually communicate with players and managers? (Not a sarcastic response, I don't know if they do).

They certainly do.You can here them advising players of where they going wrong long before they're sinbinned.
Regarding striking you'd have thought the Scottish FA would have stepped in to sort out any grievances before things went too far.

[Westbars Spireite]

Where have they rustled these scab refs from? Wouldn't you have expected them to support their fellow refs?

[Frank Thacker]

Westbars Spireite, on 26 November 2010 - 06:42 PM, said:

Where have they rustled these scab refs from?

Not from the Sutton & Skegby Sunday League, which is a bit of a surprise

Quote

Wouldn't you have expected them to support their fellow refs?

Ker-ching!!

[moondog]

Westbars Spireite, on 26 November 2010 - 06:42 PM, said:

Where have they rustled these scab refs from? Wouldn't you have expected them to support their fellow refs?

Israel, Malta & Luxembourg (Polish & now apparently Portugese refs pulled out)

[Eiderland Spireite]

Mark Jones, on 26 November 2010 - 01:06 PM, said:

They should come down hard on players who act aggressively towards referees. They should ban players from circling refs, if there is a point needs bringing to the attention of the ref, only the captain should do it.

The aggression on the pitch will easily find its way on the terraces and examples have to be set.

Referees should also be made accountable for poor decisions. I also think Managers should be able to criticise refs as well.

But its all about aggression,and thats what has to be stopped. The SFA are no different from the FA they are all cowards and don't know who to bow to first.

All V Well said!

Oh for a return of managers generally adopting the Brian Clough philosophy of banning players from harranging refs! ('Sir' Alex Cowchops should never have been knighted for this reason).

It was noticable that our players didn't reacte greatly to Mason's ridiculous decision the other day, which was something to be truely proud of- and perhaps something to note about a better aspect of Sheridan's management compared to the apparent problem he has with his own mouth.Bless him.

And if we fans and the clubs despair at the incompetent refs such as Mason, perhaps all should reflect that if they were respected, we would have better refs, and not a minority of masochists who are doing it to wind up thousands of people !