Regan stands behind referees against Hughes and Neilson attacks

Stewart Regan has raced to the defence of Scottish referees after a weekend of stinging criticism from managers.

Beyond the usual complaints about their decision making Robbie Neilson revealed that he expected and prepared his side to play with ten men after discovering that Willie Collum would be in charge for the game at Hamilton.

John Hughes claimed that Andrew Dallas was too young and inexperienced for top flight matches and that his presence spread a nervousness amongst the players from both sides.

SFA Compliance Officer Tony McGlennan is expected to issue notes of complaint today with Regan backing the refs without going into specifics about the points raised.

“Our referees are of a very high standard but they make mistakes, that’s how it is,” the SFA chief said. “At times that (refereeing controversy) can be unduly focused on, perhaps as a deflection tactic. I don’t see the same amount of coverage when players or coaches make mistakes.

“I think it (the criticism of referees) at times is very unfair. It’s easy to blame the referee but, in reality, football without referees isn’t football at all.

“Referees are an integral part of the game and we need to recruit them and retain them. It’s hard enough to get referees into the game right now without the negativity. The criticism (referees get) in Scotland is really harsh. If you look at countries right across the world, refereeing decisions are constant topics of media interest and debate online, on Twitter and between managers, coaches, clubs and their associations.

“In the Gold Cup match between Mexico and Panama in July, the Panama team actually walked off the pitch in the 89th minute after the award of a penalty and CONCACAF came out and said the referee had made errors. Unfortunately that’s how it is in football and we’re no different.”

One of the main criticism of referees is their lack of accountability with an elite group apparently assured of the top matches regardless of their performances.

Last season Collum had red cards in successive games overturned yet continued to handle elite matches after a token visit to the plumbers and taxi drivers of The Championship.

Steven McLean and Alan Muir ruined the Scottish Cup Semi Final between Celtic and Inverness Caley Thistle with McLean in charge of Motherwell v Kilmarnock at the weekend.

McLean has yet to referee a competitive Celtic match since that fixture while another FIFA referee, Dallas, whose dad Hugh quit the SGA after an anti-catholic controversy came to light, has still to referee a Celtic fixture.

Explaining how the refereeing fraternity operates Regan added: “We have around 30 Level 1 referees in Scotland and we’re looking to get more. We’re working with the SQA, the examining body, to put refereeing into colleges. We’re doing our bit to keep the pipeline flowing but referees accept it’s part and parcel of the game, that they’re never going to be the most popular people.”

With the fee for refereeing a Premiership match more than double the basic wage for most Championship players there should be no shortage of people interested in refereeing as a second career.

For whatever reason it seems that the system the SFA has in place fast tracks certain referees for no reason apparent to supporters or managers

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