In an article entitled ‘Winter’s World Destive Season Down Under X’ posted on the 30th December 2011, Winter’s published the following comments:

But the 56-year-old’s latest comments have seen a backlash from media and public alike. Former Middlesborough and Irish international footballer Bernie Slaven slammed Winters comments, stating on his twitter page: “Bigoted x referee absolute disgracefull comments! For me he’s as guilty as Suarez! I’m deeply offended!”

Belfast resident Conor Leckey rounded on Winter via twitter, by saying: “Its dinosaurs like Jeff Winter who promote bigotry and halt the progress of society. Go and rot in your bigoted views Winter.”

John Brewin, Senior Editor at ESPN Soccernet, intimated that Winter’s career in the media could be at an end. He said: “Looks like Jeff Winter’s media career is at a not-so sorry end. It doesn’t take ‘knowledgeable football people’ to work out a vile diatribe.”

Jeff Winter’s was unavailable for comment this morning and his website has now been suspended by the web hosting company 123-reg.co.uk after his anti-catholic comments.

The company issued a brief statement on their official twitter account: “Our Abuse team has been notified, appropriate action taken, site suspended during investigation.”

More to follow….

© BBC | Al Lamont

“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” said Yorkston. “How is it dangerous? You can see the full length of the park. Standing in one corner, I can see the opposite corner flag and the opposite stand.

“There’s absolutely no reason why the game could not be played as we speak.”

Alistair Lamont tweeted a picture of East End Park which was clear of fog. The stands are visible as well as the entirety of the pitch.

The final decision lay with match official Bobby Madden who cancelled the game on the grounds of safety which angered the Pars chairman.

“The police aren’t concerned about safety. What safety is the referee talking about?”

This is the second game in two weekends which has been postponed in the Scottish Premier League. Last Friday the Motherwell game against Hibernian at Fir Park was abandoned at half-time due to floodlight failure.

With regards to the postponed game at East End Park the chairman said he would be looking at taking some form of action against the decision.

“The police commander said there’s no reason he can see why the game couldn’t go on. I intend to take this further.”

There were six postponements this weekend in the Scottish leagues with the other five in the Scottish Football League.

Jack was booked after celebrating his equalising goal and picking up a second yellow and sent off for a tackle on Gary Hooper.

Craig Brown claimed that Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew had escaped punishment after celebrating his winner. He told BBC Scotland: “We have a man booked for that and Mulgrew, with a similar celebration, is not booked. It’s not a bookable offence to leave the field of play I understand. He (Jack) did no harm to anyone.

“There’s an inconsistency there I’m afraid that we have a man booked for that and Mulgrew, with a similar celebration, is not booked.”

However regular Scotzine photographer Patrick McGuire who was on his day off at Celtic Park yesterday, begged to differ with Craig Brown and has provided the photographic proof that Mulgrew was indeed booked for his celebration.

Jack is now banned for two matches, after picking up his second red card of the season, according to the SFA.

The statement said: “Referees’ fees will increase from £800 to £840 this season; other match officials’ fees will increase accordingly. Further increases in these fees will be applied as and when SPL distributions increase beyond agreed thresholds.”

Chief Executive of the SPL, Neil Doncaster said: “I am delighted that we have reached an agreement with the SSFRA which links an increase in match officials’ fees with the financial health of the SPL as a whole. This clearly identifies us as being on the same team. We can all now look forward to the start of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League this weekend.”

While Chairman of the SSFRA, John McKendrick added: “I would like to thank the SPL and the Scottish FA for their ongoing support and commitment to referees in this country. We have been greatly encouraged by the communication between all parties and today’s announcement represents a satisfactory conclusion to negotiations. We can now look forward to an exciting new season and we support the Scottish FA’s new campaign to Focus on Football.”

Do you believe that our match officials deserve the wage increase? We want your views.

After a series of running battles between Celtic and the SFA which has lasted all season long, as well as Paul McBride QC alleging that dishonesty exists within Hampden Park, Fleming – who replaced Hugh Dallas after he was sacked for the Pope-email scandal – disagrees, “There is absolutely no bias against Celtic. The referees are absolutely independent. In 27 years I am not aware of any referee who has acted in a biased manner, not one.”

Claims from former whistler Kenny Clark that a new strike was brewing after the SFA Disciplinary committee decided against punishing Rangers’ Madjid Bougherra for man handling Calum Murray, were rubbished by Fleming and said, “It wasn’t a strike. I would call it a non-availability day by the Category One referees. They felt there were a couple of issues that weren’t being voiced. We live in a democracy and they all agreed they would not be available on that day. Since then I have been involved in several meetings with the SSFRA, the reps of the senior referees, the chief executive and the referee committee, and there is a different viewpoint now.

“I don’t envisage an unavailability day occurring at such short notice. There will be more dialogue prior to that. I met with the Category One refs on April 3rd at our bi-monthly meetings and there were no issues or discontent.”

Fleming added, “We are moving in the right direction. We had 12 officials in charge at the quarter-finals of the Champions and Europa Leagues. I hope there will be further involvement before the end of the season and I also want our officials back involved at the 2012 European Championship Finals and the 2014 World Cup Finals. “

Source: Daily Record

“I suspect most referees will be shaking their heads in disbelief,” Clark told BBC Scotland. “I think they’ll be wondering if people have very short memories in relation to what happened earlier this season and their withdrawal of services.”

Clark added, “It’s an extraordinary decision, particularly in relation to Madjid Bougherra, that’s the aspect that worries me most, players must know that it is entirely unacceptable to lay hands upon match officials. This decision from the SFA disciplinary committee sends out the wrong message to players at every level.”

“If the disciplinary committee had applied common sense to this situation, they would have recognised that everybody regarded the conduct of both Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf as extraordinary – and I mean that in a bad sense,” continued Clark.

“The SFA labelled it serious misconduct, but the punishments meted out don’t seem to me to treat it that way. I would say the disciplinary committee are not living up to their name and have conducted themselves in an incompetent manner on this particular occasion, especially in regard to Madjid Bougherra.”

Clark went on, “Here we have a situation with a player in a highly intense, heated situation was laying hands upon the referee and failing to leave the park when ordered to do so. Then we had Diouf at the end of the game also failing to leave the park when ordered to do so. All of the match officials in Scotland will be thinking, where is the strong lead coming from that they were promised by the SFA? I think they will be very unhappy and concerned at this latest development. I doubt very much that there would be any further action before the end of the season. And I’d like to think there would be some changes made over the summer to make referees think they are getting greater support.”

“Stewart Regan, at the time of the withdrawal of labour by referees and again in the immediate aftermath of this Old Firm match, talked in very strong terms about giving support to match officials,” added Clark. “Unfortunately, his disciplinary committee don’t seem to be following his lead. It will certainly be frustrating for Stewart Regan and I think he will do what he can to appease the referees by saying he will try to bring about change, which will allow stronger action to be taken, perhaps without relying on committee-type structures. But I think he has a difficulty in that respect and that’s the big problem facing the SFA and Scottish football.”

Meanwhile it has been reported this morning that the SFA were advised by Referee’s Observer Willie Young.

According to an SFA source, “Willie’s report was submitted with all the relevant information. Every case is obviously different and has to be judged on its own merits. I think there is the feeling among referees that you can’t just go about grabbing the arms of an official. I think it’s fair to say everyone is pretty amazed that there was not some sort of a ban for Bougherra after this incident.”

Young’s report mirrors that of comments he made six years ago, when as a player Neil Lennon was sent off against Rangers. Lennon was handed a three match ban back then for man-handling Stuart Dougal. However in 2005, Young claimed that it should have been a harsher punishment.

Speaking in 2005 Young said, “In such circumstances, where there is physical confrontation with an official, they should be considering a five-match suspension. I am surprised that is not what they went for.”

And another former whistler Stuart Dougal has hit out at the SFA’s decision claiming that Bougherra deserved a ban. Dougal said, “Stewart Regan has spoken out, but it doesn’t look as if he’s offering any serious protection for the officials. The SFA chief executive now really has to come out and tell referees why this decision has been taken. They should at least tell everybody why they haven’t imposed a ban on Bougherra.

“Referees have only two interests, handling games well and being protected by authorities. We talk, in refereeing, about a standard of discipline on the field. What standard is the SFA setting here, with this decision? I can understand why they have done this but I don’t think it sends out the right message. It has probably been looked at as a judgement on whether he showed aggression towards the official or pure frustration. However, anybody who has raised their hands to a ref must run a risk of picking up some sort of punishment, probably a suspension.”

Speaking in his column in this morning’s Scottish Sun, Kenny Clark said, “My day job is a defence lawyer. But had I come out of court with the sort of result Madjid Bougherra and El Hadji Diouf got on Tuesday? I think I’d have retired – it wouldn’t get any better than that.”

And Clark’s comments mirrored that of Paul McBride QC, “The decision by the SFA’s disciplinary committee to only fine the Rangers players a pittance in their terms was laughable, embarrassing, ridiculous and cowardly. It was simply breathtaking and dreadful for all levels of the game. Open season has also been declared for any player being ordered off to grab the ref’s arm or hand. Is that really the sort of unedifying spectacle the SFA are inviting us to have? I’ve tried to to make sense of it all but I just can’t. It’s incomprehensible. No wonder the two players couldn’t keep the smiles off their faces walking out of Hampden.”

He added, “The SFA said they were both not guilty of serious misconduct. Well how bad does it need to get before they do something that will actually impact on players? Because this will have no effect at all. None. I can’t believe a player from one of the clubs in the lower division would have been dealt with in this manner. I dare say the SFA’s chief executive Stewart Regan might be a bit annoyed too, given what he said the day after the Old Firm game in question. He talked about an ongoing lack of respect for match officials, the ref being manhandled and how the SFA would conduct an inquiry and gave the impression they’d deal with these things in a firm manner. Really? It doesn’t look that way.”

“I also wonder if the disciplinary committee – and I realise Regan doesn’t sit on it – have forgotten there’s already been a situation where refs withdrew their services earlier this season because of the level of abuse being directed at them. What is the committee trying to do? Provoke that situation again? It will certainly reinforce a view that a number of refs have had in the past that they weren’t getting enough backing or protection. This doesn’t smack of a new regime that is going to come down firmly on people who make life difficult for officials. The Bougherra situation concerns me more than Diouf’s because laying hands on a referee like he did to Calum Murray is totally unacceptable, not part of our game.”

And Clark sounded a warning, “There will be a trickle-down effect all the way down the ranks now, not just in pro football but to the juniors and amateurs where refs are out on public parks without any other officials or police presence. A message is being sent out not just to individual players but also to junior and amateur associations that you can’t go too hard on players who commit these sorts of offences now.”

“According to the SFA, putting your hands on the ref isn’t a banning offence any more! That’s the precedent being set. So how can any manager at any level be expected to warn to his players not to touch the ref now? The associations at the lower levels will feel their hands are tied too. If they take strong action against a player who does what Bougherra did and the appeal goes to the SFA, they can hardly say the association is justified in originally banning the guy. As for Diouf, when you’re shown a red card you’re supposed to leave the field. Not go on a detour to your own fans and throw your shirt in amongst them. He failed to leave the pitch having been ordered to do so by the ref. In doing that he provoked what was already a very heated situation. He’s hardly shown any signs of remorse since. Instead he’s just had another go at Calum Murray.”

On McCoist escaping a ban Clark said, “I also find it odd that Ally McCoist won his appeal against being banned for his full-time spat with Neil Lennon. There was no confrontation until McCoist said what he did to Neil Lennon. It would be foolhardy in the extreme to think McCoist didn’t say anything inflammatory. Even when Lennon reacted, McCoist didn’t try to calm him down. So I find it strange the SFA didn’t feel there was any justification for action, particularly when he’d been involved in an earlier situation in the match where Walter Smith had to pull him back.”

“It doesn’t look smart that they gave Lennon a four-game ban and the other guy walks away with his name cleared. The disciplinary committee might say they don’t know exactly what was said – but that doesn’t hold water with me. It was obviously inflammatory and should have been dealt with on that basis.”

“The SFA have certainly provided Celtic with more ammunition to raise question marks about the approach and even-handedness of the disciplinary committee. What needs to be done now? Well I’ve said numerous times that the SFA have to take strong action when players or managers misbehave but yet again they’ve failed to do so. I really do think they’re leaving themselves open to criticism and further police intervention in the future.”

“They had the summit, we were told the football authorities would deal with things in a strong manner. The police were reassured that football would put its house in order but it seems to me they’re failing to do that. I don’t know how easily Regan can sort out this mess other than getting a whole new disciplinary committee in because the one in place right now strikes me as being unfit for the purpose.”

And on Paul McBride QC’s comments Clark said, “Celtic’s lawyer Paul McBride QC might have called the SFA biased and dishonest after the decisions. But I disagree. It was simply sheer incompetence.”

Now that the SFA are threatening Paul McBride QC with legal action, will the governing body now take action over Kenny Clark’s in his column? He has after all labelled the SFA incompetent.

Source: Daily Record | The Scottish Sun | BBC Scotland

McCoist saw his two match touchline ban overturned, while Bougherra and Diouf were fined £2,500 and £5,000 respectively for their part in the ‘shame game.’

In the aftermath of the game, Stewart Regan promised action against all those involved, and condemned the manhandling of the referee by Madjid Bougherra and Diouf’s actions against the orders of Police in attendance.

And Dougal is now urging the SPL to explain the decision that led the trio to get away scot-free.

“Despite what people think, match officials are big boys who have thick skins – they can take a lot,” he said. “But what will concern them is this: Where is the protection for them? Stewart Regan has spoken out, but it doesn’t look as if he’s offering any protection for the officials. The SFA chief executive now really has to come out and tell the referees why this decision has been taken.

“It has probably been looked at as a judgement on whether he showed aggression towards the official or whether it was pure frustration. But anybody who has raised their hands to a referee must run a real risk of picking up some sort of punishment, probably a suspension.”

Respected journalist Hugh MacDonald who writes for The Scottish Herald commented on his article today, “The decisions by the disciplinary committee of the SFA yesterday, though, are the high point of the season in terms of absurdity. They are the Monty Python sketch in the comedy that this nation’s football has become. They also fly in the face of the policy to support referees.”

“Whatever one’s view on yesterday’s deliberations, it was not a show of support for Calum Murray. One must wait for the ballot today when the referees, presumably enraged at the leniency of the sentences, take to the picket line. After all, Madjid Bougherra manhandled one of their members as he was about to book him. And then he did it again. Bougherra was fined and told not to do it again. Presumably, the naughty step was being used.”

“Another Rangers player, El-Hadji Diouf, bumped into the Celtic physio, had a slanging match with Lennon, who was banned for his behaviour, then would not leave the field when advised to do so by the referee. He then ignored the intervention of a police officer and threw his jersey into the crowd. He was warned and fined.”

Source: Evening Times

In the past few days former Celtic and Middlesborough manager Gordon Strachan has exclusively talked to the Daily Record’s Keith Jackson on all things related to Scottish Football, including the recent Hugh Dallas Popegate scandal.

The recently sacked Boro manager claimed how he was among the first to offer, the shamed former Head of Referee Development, sympathy after he was sacked by the SFA. Strachan believes that Dallas was the victim of mob mentality when he was sacked for sending an offensive email about the Pope, related to Child Abuse.

Strachan said, “I contacted Hugh to offer my support and sympathy because he was a victim of this mob mentality. People wanted to get him. I think he’s a good man. I didn’t have contact with him much when he was refereeing, although I met him at a game and he was full of self-importance. But maybe you need to be like that as a referee. He was trying to do a good job for the SFA. If he had got the sack for trying to cover up what happened up at Tannadice I wouldn’t have had a problem with it, although it would have been harsh. But to be sacked over that email? Ridiculous.”

Strachan continued, “At the time of the Hugh Dallas sacking I read an article from Jim Traynor who said the only thing to be offended about was the fact it was making fun of child abuse. Jim was right. But it was made out that Hugh was guilty of attacking a certain religion and I couldn’t get my head around that. How many of us have had questionable emails sent to us? I get them from my brother-in-law all the time, there’s something to offend everybody but it’s meant as a joke. You can’t stop that. What about when Frankie Boyle is on TV having a pop at everybody and everything? What’s the difference?

Yes but Gordon, he not only received it but also forwarded them from his official SFA email address. Yes we have also received questionable emails, but at our work email address? And then forwarded it to others in work also? The SFA IT Policy was breached and while there were other culprits who did not lose their jobs, but does that imply Dallas was sacked for other issues also? Well former linesman Stewart Craven did state that Dallas allegedly bullied and harassed him, and the SFA said they were going to investigate the claims.

Strachan added, “When I spoke to Hugh he was trying to explain himself to me. I told him there was no need – I’ve lived up there, I know what it’s like. He was telling me personal stuff and trying to make it clear he was not a bigot. But that’s the way we are now, everyone is so scared of being branded something or other that we have to explain ourselves even when we have done nothing wrong. The problem is that the zealots had taken control of the situation. Hugh was having to answer to them.”

Dallas was in an important and high-profile position within a public body – the SFA – and therefore whatever he did was sure to hit the headlines, especially if it was controversial. Forwarding an email would lead to disciplinary action, but the SFA like all employers HAVE to follow their own disciplinary procedures – yes I know how funny that sounds – otherwise they are open to be sued for unfair dismissal and lose. The question is what are the SFA hiding? We all know that there is something else underlying within this whole issue, unrelated to that email. Was Craven’s comments about Dallas’ bullying and harassment of other referees true? Did Dallas state to SFA Chief Executive Stewart Regan that he could stop the referees striking if his indiscretion with the email system was forgotten about? Well we won’t know unless the SFA insider who leaked the email in the first place comes forward and spills the beans.

But all this does not excuse Strachan’s own comments. He stated two days ago that the Scottish game was rancid. However Strachan’s apologist comments in regards to Dallas, is nothing short of what he was peddling two days ago – rancid!

Sadly this Football Blogger and other Bloggers & Fans opinions are not seen as passion for football. Strachan seems fit to label such passionate fans as internet keyboard cowboys. I guess I need to get my John Wayne strut sorted now and dress up like Clint Eastwood in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – and no I don’t mean a documentary of Celtic’s play under Gordon Strachan, that would just be the internet keyboard cowboy in me coming through.

Source: Daily Record

There was little for Conroy to do in an incident free first half. However the East Stand side assistant took only 4 minutes to upset the home crowd, failing to spot the attacking Agard clearly off-side. Once again in 33 minutes, with Agard running back from an off–side position directly in front of him.

The second half saw the home support erupt after 7 minutes played thanks to a Sodje goal, after he wrestled free of Sissoko. The referee may have awarded a free kick against the defender but allowed play to carry on.

Riordan and Sissoko had a few push and pull moments with the most
controversial resulting in a penalty to Hibs. Riordan was caught in the face by Sissoko’s hand and Conroy awarded a very soft penalty.

The referee would make amends with the Kilmarnock supporters in the 74th minute by returning the penalty favour. Agard was judged to have been brought down in the box by Dickoh. The referee on first viewing awarded Killie a corner, but after consulting with a frantic linesman on the West Stand side, changed the decision to a penalty and handed Dickoh a straight red card. While the referee was only yards away from the action he allowed the linesman to over rule his initial decision.

As full-time approached tempers flared in front of Kilmarnock’s dugout with nearly all players from both sides involved, with Mixu Paatelainen forgetting he was not a player at Easter Road anymore, involved also. The ruckus resulted in the referee issuing five yellow cards and a stern talking too, to the Killie boss.

Steve Conroy will not look back on this game as his finest hour and a half, with all the major decisions called incorrectly.

Score: Steve Conroy 1/5

Kilmarnock: 3 yellow cards(Sissoko,Hamill,Pascali)

Hibs: 4 yellow cards (Murray, Miller,Towell,Scott) and 1 red(Dickoh)

Analysed by Maninthemiddle

McDonald admitted in an exclusive interview with the BBC, that he had lied to Celtic manager Neil Lennon over the reasons why he did a u-turn over the penalty decision as well as the SFA Match Observer, and Celtic subsequently demanded his head on a plate but the SFA Referees Committee just gave him a smack of the wrist and warned of his future conduct.

McDonald in a statement said, “It is with regret that I have decided, with immediate effect, to retire from my role as a category one referee. My category one colleagues decided rightly to withdraw their services from matches this weekend in response to the outrageous way they have been treated by sections within Scottish football and, in my opinion, the lack of support they have received from the SFA General Purposes Committee in recent years. However, their united stand, and the position of strength they have established this weekend, has been clouded by one issue, namely the aftermath of the Dundee United v Celtic match on 17 October. I apologised for my role in that and wanted my previously unblemished 29-year career to move on. Now is the time for all of Scottish football to move on.

“My decision will therefore remove that issue from the debate and ensure that the next day of action – which, in my opinion, will undoubtedly come if the football community does not have a massive change of heart – will result in media coverage being concentrated on those who engage in referee bashing and those who condone it.”

So while most of the Scottish Football fraternity are blaming Celtic for the whole fiasco, with their outspoken views, the man in the middle of it all has pointed to years of criticism and suggested that it is a much deeper problem than just with the Parkhead side.

“It is also important to make clear that just as this issue is not about Dougie McDonald alone, nor is it about Celtic Football Club alone, the truth is, since I became a class one referee, managers or players – and sometimes directors – at almost every club, at one time or another, have been guilty of such behaviour. The only difference being the degree and tenor of the criticism and the inferences from it.

“The constant has been the unwillingness of the SFA General Purposes Committee to deal with it. I suggest they check the meaning of phrases such as ‘wasn’t impartial’ used by Aiden McGeady and ‘conspires to’ used by Peter Houston and consider whether we want those used in Scottish football.”

After dropping down to the First Division the week after, McDonald returned to the SPL to officiate the game between Hibs and Motherwell on the 13th November, reiterating that he had no intention of quitting.

Celtic chairman John Reid at the club’s AGM called for McDonald to resign or for the SFA to take the appropriate action.

“If the SFA had any sense of their own integrity, they should look at it again,” said Dr Reid. “His position is completely untenable. The SFA’s position on this issue is also untenable.”

McDonald is the second high-profile SFA casualty of the weekend, following on from the sacking of Head of Referee Development Hugh Dallas, after he breached SFA internal protocol by circulating a controversial image relating to the Pope and Child Abuse via the governing body’s official email system.

Read Dougie McDonald’s Full Statement courtesy of STV Sport