Halsey's revelation about Sir Red Nose

[QuartzGooner]

This whole "Celebrity Refs" thing always felt like a media creation rather than anything fans were too bothered by.

Oh, and the refs themselves.

Heard an interesting anecdote about a famous ex-ref from an legendary ex-Arsenal player.
Not going to break his confidence because if I did it would be a national news story (perhaps the ex-player will one day write an autobiography?) but what I can say is that it merely confirmed my suspicions that said ref was a self obsessed wimp and far from being the un-biased figure of judgement he had portrayed himself to be through the media.

[northbank123]

I'm baffled by these revelations that Mikel kicked the refs door in and threatened to break his legs... how is that only a 3 match ban?

Di Canio got 11 games for pushing a ref and Petit got 3 games for simply putting his hands on Durkin a few years ago. And manager's frequently get touchline bans for criticising refs in interviews! All of these incidents pale in comparison to what Mikel did.

Crazy. Are the FA that scared about about being PC that they'll let someone behave like a thug with little or no punishment? they should have thrown the book at Mikel for such behaviour, yet it's been largely swept under the carpet. His colour and the false allegations are irrelevant - if that was Suarez, he'd be facing a 6 month ban, I reckon.

It's like they're completely unprepared for dealing with any major incidents. They make such a hash of almost every case that comes before them. Chelsea certainly didn't help with the disgraceful way that two-bob club went about reporting the allegations etc but if that is true Mikel should have been banned for months.

If you did that at a local level you can bet you wouldn't be playing again for a while so why is a PL footballer held to a lower standard? Because the FA want to sweep it under the carpet.

[olgitgooner]

I've merged the 2 threads. Oldgit obviously didn't have his specs on.

Sorry about that. I was spitting feathers at the time and didn't notice the other thread . I was also rather pisshhhed at the time.

[Topside Northbank]

Only early season I know but SAF was worth close to ten points a season to that team motivational wise but influence & pressure on officials.

SKY have a lot to answer for remember when they were going to buy a 10% stake in the club (BSB) talk about a conflict of interest.

Look at the treatment of their players I think Paul Scholes was a fantastic player but if he had played for us he would of got as many red cards as PV4 they used to even make jokes on commentary about his 'challenges' SAF will be sorely missed by them one way or another.

[northbank123]

Jesus don't get me started on how the fact that Scholes used to try and break people's kneecaps every week was a source of wry smiles and happy acceptance when so many other (talented) players have been villified for so much less. Beggars belief that in one breath he's praised for his great technical ability and dedication to training and in the next excused for supposedly not learning how to tackle in anything other than a reckless fashion despite being a professional for two decades and playing in central midfield.

[mcdowell42]

Ah scholes he was a rascal

[StuartL]

I'm baffled by these revelations that Mikel kicked the refs door in and threatened to break his legs... how is that only a 3 match ban?

Di Canio got 11 games for pushing a ref and Petit got 3 games for simply putting his hands on Durkin a few years ago. And manager's frequently get touchline bans for criticising refs in interviews! All of these incidents pale in comparison to what Mikel did.

Crazy. Are the FA that scared about about being PC that they'll let someone behave like a thug with little or no punishment? they should have thrown the book at Mikel for such behaviour, yet it's been largely swept under the carpet. His colour and the false allegations are irrelevant - if that was Suarez, he'd be facing a 6 month ban, I reckon.

It's like they're completely unprepared for dealing with any major incidents. They make such a hash of almost every case that comes before them. Chelsea certainly didn't help with the disgraceful way that two-bob club went about reporting the allegations etc but if that is true Mikel should have been banned for months.

If you did that at a local level you can bet you wouldn't be playing again for a while so why is a PL footballer held to a lower standard? Because the FA want to sweep it under the carpet.

Would probably be a ban sine die - ie, indefinite, not to play again, no more, never.

[goonersid]

Wasn't it Halsey who sent off Sol Campbell in 2003 at Highbury ? There was a story that the little cheat Solskjar was willing to back up Sol in his appeal but red nose wouldn't allow it...

He was also the ref who on checking with his linesman, changed his mind after awarding Fulham a pen against us.
As for Sol sending off, I was right beside the incident and it looked all ends up a red card, it was idiocy on Campbell's part and cost us the title, one of the reasons I'm not a member of the Sol fanclub.

[northbank123]

Watched the video again on YouTube - it was the lino who told him to send Campbell off. Reality is he threw an elbow back into Solskjaer's face and whilst I don't think he was trying to do him he was stupid enough to 'protect the ball' in such an exaggeratedly reckless way. Sticks in the craw because of the decisions that went against us with United around that time, and because there's no way Rio Ferdinand would have been sent off at Old Trafford for the same thing, but not exactly an inexplicable or baseless decision.

What a fucking surprise that van Nistelrooy went running to the lino complaining though. Had forgotten what a genuinely despicable little prick he was, he'd be up there on one of my all-time most-hated lists. Fucking wanker.

[northbank123]

Madrid getting a rather dubious penalty to net a 96th-minute winner against Elche tonight

http://bbcsporf.lockerdome.com/articles/109685305

Defender is handsy but the ball flies a good 10 feet over the Madrid player's head and he dives on the floor dragging the defender on top of him. Pretty typical decision in favour of Barca/Madrid from what I hear.