Dundee United to complain to SFA

shaggy · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 1:35 pm

Quote:

Dundee United are to complain to SFA chief executive Gordon Smith about referee Mike McCurry's handling of Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Rangers.

United were denied what seemed a clear penalty and had a goal chalked off for offside in an explosive second half.

"It is widely thought that there is a bias shown against 'provincial' clubs when visiting Glasgow," Tannadice director Derek Robertson said.

"Saturday's game is highlighted as a prime example of this."

The defeat ended United's hopes of finishing third in the Scottish Premier League and clinching a Uefa Cup spot for next season.

"This is damaging to the game as a whole and Dundee United believes that this situation should not be allowed to continue without careful examination and constructive proposals and dialogue between the clubs and the authorities," Robertson said.

"For the record, the club will be backing the manager on all the important issues raised by him following the match in question and hope that his honestly held views can be used as a catalyst for constructive change."

United manager Craig Levein was furious with referee McCurry after Saturday's game. "We had a blatant penalty and he bottled it," he said.

"If it's not a level playing field and, if we don't get the decisions, blatant, important decisions then what is the point of turning up?"

"I thought Mike McCurry had the balls to stand up and give these decisions," Levein said.

"Not only is it a penalty kick, but it's a sending off for Davie Weir. But he didn't want to do it because this game meant so much to Rangers."

Levein said he asked the referee what was the point of his players turning up if they were to be the victims of such decisions.

"Anybody who is of a fair mind watching that today would see that we had no chance of winning that.

"We get a perfectly good goal chalked off and a blatant penalty, with not even a decision to make, and it should've been a sending off."

Levein's strong words could lead to disciplinary action from the Scottish FA and its chief executive, Gordon Smith, has hit back at the comments.

"To impinge on a man's integrity in this way is extremely unfair and does nothing to encourage more people to take up refereeing," he said.

"To suggest that there was any kind of agenda behind the decisions made on the day does a massive disservice to the game and, quite frankly, is completely unfair."

Television personality and ardent United fan Lorraine Kelly phoned BBC Scotland's Your Call radio programme to weigh into the debate.

"I've gone from being scunnered and angry to being weary of it," she said.

"It just happens far too often. I am a Dundee United fan and we were robbed.

"We have to stop whinging and moaning about it and do something about our referees."

MY SPORT: DEBATE
Give your reaction to the match at Ibrox

Had Rangers drawn or lost to United, Celtic would have become favourites to retain the Scottish Premier League title.

"I think Craig Levein got it right," said Kelly. "The ref bottled it. The way Scottish football is, they are intimidated.

"Nobody is infallible, but it might be easier if we get referees from somewhere else.

"This was a huge, huge game for Dundee United. Why should we be treated like second class citizens?"

Word is that, depending on the outcome of this complaint we will take legal action against the SFA. Im really not sure how that would pan out though...

conner99 · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 3:45 pm

well i dont see how Dundee Utd can possibly expect anything to come of this complaint , unless they are accusing the ref of fixing the game (in which case they need proof) i dont see what the point is . All the SFA can do is suspend the ref if he was incompetent or throw out the complaint saying it was the refs decision and they back him . The result would still stand though ....

G_Man · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 6:33 pm

conner99 wrote:

well i dont see how Dundee Utd can possibly expect anything to come of this complaint , unless they are accusing the ref of fixing the game (in which case they need proof) i dont see what the point is . All the SFA can do is suspend the ref if he was incompetent or throw out the complaint saying it was the refs decision and they back him . The result would still stand though ....

Its not about the result united fans are p1ssed off about. its the fact many referees give so many decisions to the old firm it is unreal. They dont make major decisions against them. This has been like this for a long time and its about time managers stand up to this.

Well done Levein

shaggy · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 10:14 pm

Spot on G_Man, although i am [beep!] off about the result because i firmly bel,ieve had we won the penalty or our goal stood we would have goine on to win the match, it isnt the maint hing thats annoyed me about this. Its mostly the fact that the old firm always get the imnportant decisions, it doesnt even matter if its at Ibrox or Parkhead, theres been numerous occaisions this seaosn where United have been cheated against Rangers and Celtic at Tannadice, and in the cups as we all know. And that loss has potentially cost us �175,000, which would be a new player for us or, say, willio floods wages for next season but now it looks like theres no chance of keeping him beyond this season.

McCurry had this to say earlier:

http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/news.cfm?newsid=3948

What a [beep!].

CFCBhoy · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 11:32 am

When exactly where United cheated against Celtic?

shaggy · Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 1:56 pm

I was just saying usually it is Celtic and Rangers who get the rub of the green, not pointing to any specific instances Razz

G_Man · Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 7:32 pm

Everyone knows Celtic and Rangers get the rub of green Sad

Dundee United to complain to SFA

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