The Best of SAF Referee Rants (Officials avert your eyes)

If you haven’t heard by now, Sir Alex Ferguson has received a 2 match ban (and a 20,000 pound fine) for comments made about Alan Wiley, the official for our 2-2 draw with Sunderland. Sir Alex may have implied that Wiley was “fat”, simply by stating that he was not “fit” to officiate the match.

Now we all know that officiating is a very hard job. And we also are all aware that Sir Alex expects nothing but the best, from his players and the officials, and in case you were not aware, he is also not afraid to make his displeasure public. Of course this is not the first instance where SAF has been in hot water with the referees union, so let’s look at 11 of his best rants, in no particular order:

** : Indicates SAF received some sort of match ban for his comments.

• Martin Atkinson (November 8th, 2009: Chelsea 1-0 United)

“The referee’s position to make a decision there was absolutely ridiculous. He can’t see it … It was a bad decision, but what can you do? You lose faith in the refereeing sometimes. That’s the way the players are talking in there. It was a bad one. That goal should not have been allowed.”

• Mark Halsey (November 28, 2002: United 1-2 Sunderland)

“A more capable referee would not have sent Dwight [Yorke] off, realising the type of player he is”

• Alan Wiley (October 6, 2009: United 2-2 Sunderland) **

“He didn’t add on any time for the goal. He played four minutes and two seconds. He was also walking up the pitch for the second goal needing a rest. He was not fit enough for a game of that standard. He was taking 30 seconds to book a player. He was needing a rest. It was ridiculous”

• Steve Bennett (January 14, 2003: United 1-3 Manchester City)

“The referee’s decided it’s a red card and I think he should look at it again really. He [Cristiano Ronaldo] has not touched the player, he’s not got near him”

• Howard Webb (November 3, 2007: United 2-2 Arsenal)

“I think Howard Webb has a great chance to be the top referee but today was a big game for him and, at times, he favoured Arsenal. Their second goal came from him not giving a free-kick for a foul on Louis Saha on the far side. It should have been a foul for us”

• Peter Walton (April 22, 2009: United 2-0 Portsmouth)

“That’s the disappointment because they [John O’Shea and Gary Neville] were both injured by bad tackles and the referee did nothing aboout it. I’m disappointed in that because you normally expect a really firm display from Peter Walton but not tonight”

• Chris Foy (August 9, 2008:United 2-2 Chelsea)

“[Michael Ballack] elbowed him [Patrice Evra] clearly. The referee’s in line and had a clear view so Ballack’s lucky. But he’s made a rod for his own back. He’d stopped the game twice already. The referee didn’t get it right today. You have to be consistent and he blew twice but not the third time”

• Mark Clattenburg (November 28, 2008: United 0-1 Bolton) **

“Some referees don’t like it. They don’t like the truth but I just told him how bad he was in the first half”

• Andre Marriner (October 25, 2009: United 0-2 Liverpool)

“It is a very difficult atmospher here [at Anfield]. There was a wounded animal aspect to the game and it affected the referee. Whether he had enough experience or not, I don’t know”

• Mike Dean (November 18, 2008: United 4-3 Hull City) **

“It should have been at least a yellow card, in which case the player would have been sent off. It made a difference”

• Phil Dowd (April 20, 2005: United 0-1 Everton)

“Paul Scholes was sent off for a late challenge. How many late challenges were there in that game from Everton players? It was amazing. Everton knew it was a weak referee and they exploited that to the full. I don’t blame them. Right from the first whistle, there was no protection”

Now even though most of these comments stem from a loss (which honestly, it would be really weird if the ratio wasn’t in that manner) SAF is statistically equal on the critiques regardless of the outcome of the game (I did a…Z-Test?…Yea that sounds right. Take my word for it). While I in no way support the lambasting of officials, at least SAF is a non-prejudicial ranter. If a referee makes a call that Sir Alex does not agree with, expect to hear it from him first hand.

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Category: Manchester United