8 Captains Blog

Is it me or is Alex Ferguson blaming everything on the referees at the moment (more than usual I mean). First they are too fat, then they are too inexperienced and in his eyes they don’t seem to be performing. Maybe he thought the referee was wearing black on Saturday and mistook Rooney as a fat ref and Ferdinand and Vidic as an under performing referees. You never know with his eyes what he sees, unlike Wenger; Ferguson seems to see everything in his red-devil tinted spectacles.

Anyway after reading Ian Wrights article in the news this morning about how Ferguson should really be getting his own house in order as a priority (much like Benitez needs to do with Liverpool I may add, well aware that one result doesn’t turn a season, but it’s the best place to start) I started thinking about the referees and what were the worst decisions of all time.

Here is my compilation of refereeing howlers:

LES MOTTRAM –Partick Thistle v Dundee United

This has to be seen to be believed. The Scottish whistler was in charge at Firhill when Paddy Connolly fired in from a yard out for Dundee United.

The ball bounced off the stanchion and back into the six-yard area – where a Partick defender picked it up, ready to head back to the centre circle.

Remarkably, Mottram not only missed the goal but also missed the handball, waving for play to continue.

The following season Scottish clubs abandoned the old-style goalposts with stanchions.

GRAHAM POLL – Australia v Croatia

Poll has never been a stranger to controversy and his critics were given plenty of ammunition when he messed up on the biggest stage of all – the World Cup.

Poll had been tipped as a possible World Cup final referee – but his tournament ended in the group stage with his famous three-card trick.

After booking Croatia’s Josip Šimuniæ, Poll then failed to send the same player off when he booked him a second time and only showed him red when issuing a third yellow card.

STUART ATTWELL – Watford v Reading

The strangest decision of the lot? In a Championship match last year Reading winger Stephen Hunt’s corner hit Watford defender John Eustace and looked to go out of play for another corner.

Unbelievably Attwell awarded a goal much to the bemusement of the Reading and Watford players.

CHARLES CORVER – France v West Germany

West Germany keeper Harald Schumacher’s vicious attack on France’s Patrick Battiston was the most brutal foul ever seen on a football pitch.

But Corver missed the foul and awarded a goal-kick as Battiston lay motionless on the pitch with his own teeth lying around him.

Germany went on to win on penalties and book a place in the World Cup final – Battison eventually recovered but only after slipping into a coma.

PAUL LEWIS – Man Utd v Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur looked to have secured a famous win at Old Trafford back in 2005 when Pedro Medes’ audacious effort from the halfway line beat Roy Carroll.

However, despite the ball having clearly crossed the line, assistant referee Lewis did not give the goal as the game finished in a 0-0 draw.

So there you have it. Can you think of anymore?