Refereeing standards an embarrassment

The decline in refereeing standards in Scottish football is becoming so clear as to become an embarrassment to our game.

Take the latest incident involving Iain Brines at Pittodrie during the Aberdeen-Hearts game.

It surely cannot be acceptable that Mr Brines should be the only person who is in position to review his own actions and to find himself blameless when, on examination of video of the incident, Lee Miller appears guilty of the "headbutt" for which Marius Zaliukas was punished.

Vladimir Romanov did himself and his club no favours when he stated what the rest of us (outside of the Old Firm) believed about refereeing standards in Scottish football. However, it is clear to me that, consciously or otherwise, Hearts players are being singled out for special treatment.
John Jamieson, Ayr

Although referees seemed to have moved slightly out of the spotlight recently, I want to complain about a performance by a referee at the Clyde v Partick Thistle game last weekend.

It was one of the worst performances I have seen all season and it could have cost either team the game.

Partick Thistle were basically given two goals by the referee. The first was a penalty that, in many people's opinion, wasn't a penalty. The second came after a Clyde player had been tackled two-footed from behind and the referee let play move on allowing Thistle to score.

I am a Clyde fan, but I'm not here to defend my team's defeat. Clyde also had a penalty in the match which, in my opinion, was not a penalty.

It could have been a better match to watch for the neutral if the referee had been better. The official must have realised he had done something wrong when the manager of the winning team argued with him after the match.
Calum Wilson, Cumbernauld


Was Strachan Fergie's McGeady?

Interestingly, if you were to ask Sir Alex Ferguson who his "Aiden McGeady" was at Aberdeen, he'd probably say "Gordon Strachan".

As the physicists say, like poles repel. Wonder if that'll be the case with Boruc and Zaluska next season?

Anyway.

Oops! Looks like I've been reading too much Hugh MacDonald on Saturday!
Ross Ballantyne, Bearsden