Edmund Posted 21 November 2010 Posted 21 November 2010 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/9214212.stmScottish referees vote for strike action Fixtures in Scotland face possible postponement next weekend after Category One referees voted to strike. Scottish match officials are upset with the avalanche of criticism that has come their way this season. The decision to take strike action was reached at a referees' union meeting held on Sunday afternoon. There are six Scottish Premier League games scheduled for next weekend. There is also a full card in the Scottish Football League. SPL leaders Rangers are due to face Dundee United on Sunday, while nearest challengers Celtic are at home to Inverness on Saturday. The ALBA Challenge Cup final between Queen of the South and Ross County at McDiarmid Park is under threat, as are any Scottish Cup replays. BBC Scotland has learned that officials are concerned that their integrity is constantly being questioned and there are increasing fears over personal safety as a result of public criticism from managers and the media. Scottish Premier League referees planned to strike over pay in 2008 but the threat was lifted when a review was set up to study their wage demands. There were also rumblings of discontent last season, with head of referee development Hugh Dallas clashing with then-Motherwell boss Jim Gannon and accusing him of undermining the confidence of officials with his repeated criticism. Last month, Hamilton manager Billy Reid warned that he would understand if referees were to refuse to officiate because of the excessive criticism directed at them. On Thursday, Celtic chairman John Reid called for the resignation of referee Dougie McDonald, saying "his position is completely untenable" after he was warned by the Scottish Football Association for lying about his reasons for overturning a penalty award. In the wake of McDonald's admission of deception, SFA chief executive Stewart Regan has promised an overhaul of how referees are disciplined. Celtic manager Neil Lennon was critical of the McDonald episode and has since questioned refereeing decisions after defeats to Rangers and Hearts. And Celtic striker Gary Hooper caused a storm when he said the thought referees "want" to give decisions against his team because they are one of the world's big clubs. Politicians have also been getting in on the act, with SNP sport spokesman Pete Wishart calling for referees to be forced to declare which team they support. The SFA are not commenting on the matter, with a spokesman saying they have not had any official notification of the planned strike. A source at the SPL told BBC Scotland: "This is a matter for the SFA and the referees. The SFA have a contract to provide us with officials and we expect them to honour that." In December 2008, SPL managers jointly agreed to refrain from speaking about refereeing decisions after matches. However, the experiment was short-lived.
ramboacdc Posted 21 November 2010 Posted 21 November 2010 interesting move. but as my friend said its a league no one cares about unless they are an old firm fan. but even though i respect lennon as a player he is one mardy manager.
kimmy619 Posted 22 November 2010 Posted 22 November 2010 Celtic and Rangers are always moaning as they don't like to lose. They always feel hard done by.
Super_horns Posted 22 November 2010 Posted 22 November 2010 TBH If refs down here went on strike everytime they got stick most games wouldn't be played! Not sure if its got personal but sounds like a right real mess with big accusations of bias etc (for and against the Old Firm)
Edmund Posted 22 November 2010 Author Posted 22 November 2010 TBH If refs down here went on strike everytime they got stick most games wouldn't be played! The difference is the Scottish refs and their families were receiving death threats. Not sure if its got personal but sounds like a right real mess with big accusations of bias etc (for and against the Old Firm) From what I've heard it's all basically stemmed from that. Unless Scottish football separates religion from the terraces none of this bollocks will stop.
Corky Posted 23 November 2010 Posted 23 November 2010 Getting in foreign refs may help this weekend, but long term? Surely the Scottish refs will feel their complaints aren't being listened to and there will continue to be friction between the Referees and the Scottish football associations.
Daggers Posted 23 November 2010 Posted 23 November 2010 Wouldn't a point be made better by them fixing every match on a given Saturday so all away teams win 12-0. "This is how you rig games," they could say, on their way to pick up accumulator bet winnings, "and fvck you".
kimmy619 Posted 23 November 2010 Posted 23 November 2010 The difference is the Scottish refs and their families were receiving death threats. From what I've heard it's all basically stemmed from that. Unless Scottish football separates religion from the terraces none of this bollocks will stop. It will never happen!
Trav Le Bleu Posted 23 November 2010 Posted 23 November 2010 So, Dannyboy: are you going to scab? Damn you for beating me to it. Damn you to hell. And all your kind!
Jordan Posted 24 November 2010 Posted 24 November 2010 I think some of the complainant clubs have legitimate concerns about referee bias, yet I was still glad to read today that Iceland's referees refused a request to work as scabs.
Vacamion Posted 24 November 2010 Posted 24 November 2010 I have no axe to grind for either Old Firm club, but IMHO this is mostly Celtic's fault. First Neil Lennon can't behave himself on the touchline. Then John Reid made an ill advised statement which hinted that there is some kind of anti-Celtic conspiracy at the SFA (without actually saying it)... Now there have been calls for Refs to state which club they grew up supporting - and I don't think the question was intended to establish whether the refs supported Falkirk or Queen of the South. Celtic's massive chip on their shoulder has caused this. Stoke had a run of woeful decision making. You didn't see Tony Pulis or his chairman suggesting that the Premier League had some sort of anti-Stoke agenda. There's nothing wrong with calling a shit decision a shit decision, but to cry that it is part of some wider agenda is lamentable. I hope they can resolve it before the weekend...the local telly was saying this evening that the SFA are getting all Scottish Clubs to confirm in writing that they acknowledge the integrity of Scottish Refs.
Guest Bilo Posted 25 November 2010 Posted 25 November 2010 So, Dannyboy: are you going to scab? He doesn't need to. They're getting some scabs in from Holland. Bloody Dutch. SFA turn to Dutch officials
Daggers Posted 25 November 2010 Posted 25 November 2010 He doesn't need to. They're getting some scabs in from Holland. Bloody Dutch. SFA turn to Dutch officials Well I'm not going to help them the next time Germany invades then.
Guest Bilo Posted 25 November 2010 Posted 25 November 2010 Nor should anyone, the damned cheese eating, clog wearing, cannabis smoking Dutchies.
Super_horns Posted 26 November 2010 Posted 26 November 2010 Looks like none of the overseas refs actually want to offciate these games now oncde they know what the strike is about!
DB11 Posted 26 November 2010 Posted 26 November 2010 I think that the Scottish FA should make Scottish referees full time, like the Premier League does.
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