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Former ref Charlie Richmond defends Scottish official standards

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments48

Highlights - St Mirren 1-1 Celtic

Refereeing standards in Scottish football have not dropped this season despite high-profile mistakes, according to a former referee.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon was unhappy with referee Bobby Madden in the draw with St Mirren and also questioned standards in the top flight.

However, former Grade One official Charlie Richmond defended referees.

"I don't think the standard of refereeing is going down, it's levelled," he told BBC Scotland.

Lennon was unhappy with the referee's display in Paisley, with midfielder Victor Wanyama shown a red card and the hosts being awarded a controversial penalty after Emilio Izaguirre was adjudged to have tripped Esmael Goncalves.

St Mirren also believed they should have been awarded a spot kick for a Georgios Samaras hand ball.

And the Buddies had a goal chalked off when Gary Teale's cross from the left sailed directly in, but the referee decided Paul Dummett had fouled Fraser Forster in the process.

"That is by far the most appalling refereeing performance I've seen this season," said Lennon afterwards.

"For both sides. How he got so many big decisions wrong in one day is beyond me.

"I've been pretty concerned for the last couple of months about the abhorrent decisions I've seen - not just against my team but in general in the Scottish game."

Richmond believes Madden was correct to disallow the early St Mirren goal but conceded the referee should have awarded a penalty for handball against Samaras.

Wanyama, in Richmond's view, should have been shown the yellow card for his challenge on McGowan.

And the former Grade One official feels St Mirren should not have been awarded a penalty for Izaguirre's challenge on Goncalves.

"Over recent weeks the mistakes have been high profile and advertised in the media," added Richmond. "That's always going to bring that argument round about whether television evidence is going to be used.

"I don't think the standard of refereeing is going down, it's levelled. But I don't think it's gone up either."

Match officials failed to award Hibs a goal in last month's Edinburgh derby when Leigh Griffiths's free-kick crossed the line.

Hibernian manager Pat Fenlon described the blunder in the 0-0 draw as "embarrassing".

However, Former Grade One referee Kenny Clark said the officials followed correct protocols.

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48 comments

  • Comment posted by Stuart A, at 19:26 1 Apr 2013

    Richmond is a clown as well. Yesterday's performance, Leigh Griffiths non goal, Dundee Utd penalty outside the box, Motherwell non goal v Hibs, Hibs Pen outside the box in same game, Collum missing sending off's galore, Craig Thomson f not even booking Black in last season cup final & then effectively ending the game by giving his beloved Hearts a penalty when miles outside box then blatant dive

  • Comment posted by User0435259100, at 18:50 1 Apr 2013

    @22 the leagues a joke without rangers? Have you watched any of the sevco games this season? They are terrible, they have struggled to beat part time footballers. If you moved that lot into the spl you'd make it worse. theyd get pumped every week....as Dundee utd and Inverness proved by pumping them. Anyway, I thought you were enjoying the journey? Has the novelty worn off.

  • Comment posted by legendaryonzoutt, at 20:09 1 Apr 2013

    Mr Richmond is talking nonsense. Yesterday was not the first match in which Bobby Madden has made mistakes which have influenced games this season, yet he is allowed to continue without any sanction against him. Surely referees like that should be demoted to say the Junior ranks? The panel in Sportscene last night were laughing at Msdden's performance, no wonder he is a joke.

  • Comment posted by User0742960835, at 12:57 2 Apr 2013

    @22
    Just realised this was sent 1st April! Pheww for a moment I thought you were being serious.Good wind up mate.

  • Comment posted by Ross, at 18:13 2 Apr 2013

    Richmond accepts that the officials got 3 out of 4 decisions wrong, then defends them? Right...

  • Comment posted by User0625657542, at 14:39 1 Apr 2013

    He's right standards have not dropped, they've always been rubbish!

  • Comment posted by User0500510887, at 12:34 2 Apr 2013

    "I don't think the standard of refereeing is going down, it's levelled."

    Fair point. Pity, though, that its level is perpetually lamentable. Do two bad decisions make a right? It seems that on this assumption, forty bad decisions equal things out per game.

    Time for technology. Replace the humanoids with Big Brother in the stand.

  • Comment posted by FridayYodel, at 21:13 1 Apr 2013

    To put things in a broader context and having spent much of my last few months in Germany, Ireland and Denmark, concern about standards of refereeing seems to be international. We are not the only country where refereeing decisions are baffling.

    Generally, I think the overall standard of refereeing is a lot better than it was 10 years ago. Controversy will never be eliminated.

  • Comment posted by Alan Smith, at 16:04 1 Apr 2013

    Come on all of you out there - get out and take your Ref's badge and solve the problem - after all you are all experts!!!!

    Not enough bottle to put your money where your big mouths are?

    You will find it harder than you think given the whinging managers, TV replays, pundits, media hype and cheating players you have to deal with.

  • Comment posted by PaulPaps, at 20:29 1 Apr 2013

    What's he going on about "in recent weeks"? The standard of refereeing in Scotland is terrible, having witnessed it first hand many games this season. And that's not just against ICT, that includes decisions going ICTs way which were no way fouls. The referees in this country are now not allowed to be properly scrutinised and what happens? Standards drop. DRASTICALLY.

  • Comment posted by San Paulo, at 13:01 2 Apr 2013

    The only two jobs in Scotland that reward bad performances, refereeing & working for the SFA/SPL/SFL (or whatever the hec it is known as these days). No doubt they'll be back on strike after this round of criticism.

  • Comment posted by monme, at 16:31 1 Apr 2013

    @18,

    Yeah, McGinn is in the Scotland U19s and will be in the U21s soon. He's only 18 and has already had his first taste of silverware. He's been a real standout in his first season and playing regular first team football will continue to benefit him. Exciting times for Saints having one of the best young players in Scotland playing for us, however briefly it may be!

  • Comment posted by User0748038950, at 15:42 1 Apr 2013

    15/

    This post is about standards of referring not about anything else, but since you started, what about Chuckles and Sally being brought to book by their inflammatary comments all season long,

  • Comment posted by K Smith, at 20:45 1 Apr 2013

    What about the decision that will likely cost Aberdeen a top 6 place? The McGinn "dive" according to the ref. It was a stonewall penalty, a red card, and 3 points for Aberdeen against Kilmarnock...3 points that will cost Aberdeen the top 6...with Kilmarnock taking it! Why are these refs not held accountable? They cost players and clubs money, yet they still get big games every week. Ridiculous!

  • Comment posted by User0970641877, at 22:16 1 Apr 2013

    How interesting that whenever Sellick have an issue with a referee, there's suddenly an article. Had this been Aberdeen or Hibs or Ross County, would there have been such a fuss? Of course not.

    Double standards.

  • Comment posted by User0595320439, at 14:06 1 Apr 2013

    3/
    He's right; he himself chucked it because his record was so poor he was being overlooked.

  • Comment posted by monme, at 17:18 1 Apr 2013

    @22 I disagree, I feel the standard of our refs and the emergence of young John McGinn as a top Scottish talent are both topics that are equally as worthy of conversation.

  • Comment posted by User0435259100, at 16:59 1 Apr 2013

    @17 the two penalties and the red card were not difficult to get correct. He was perfectly positioned to spot the lack of contact and the dive. More likely he realised the penalty in the first half was wrong and evened it up at the first opportunity. He was referee at park head earlier in the year and had a similarly shocking performance. We'd be better off letting the players red the games.

  • Comment posted by morbhoy, at 14:32 1 Apr 2013

    #2 "Nothing too blatant" !!!
    Did you actually see the game?
    The officials miss a penalty , debate duly disallow a goal, give a penalty with no contact and issue a red card for a mistimed tackle and you don't think there was anything too blatant, you must have checked the date before you posted.

  • Comment posted by User0435259100, at 10:45 3 Apr 2013

    Bobby Madman has been demoted to SFL2 this weekend to take charge of Arbroath. I'd say he's getting off lightly. Sacking would be more fitting after that performance.
    I think managers need to sit down with referees and explain the game to them. There are so many decisions judged incorrectly that I suspect none of them actually watch football. Time to persuade ex players to take up refereeing.

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