An attempted PR piece to paint Andrew Dallas as a lovely human being has been hi-jacked on social media.
Scottish referees aren’t allowed to speak to the media after matches but a couple of times a year, usually relating to a cup final referee, there will be a nice interview that portrays them in a sensitive light while ignoring the issues that put them in the spotlight.
Earlier this year Dallas awarded four penalties against St Mirren at Ibrox. Last season when Steven Gerrard’s side were drawing 1-1 at Hamilton with 10 minutes left to play they were awarded two penalties.
The rise of Dallas through the ranks sickened many aspiring referees as they saw their own hard work overlooked if favour of someone that was clearly out of their depth.
With the backing of his father Hugh working behind the scenes and the all-powerful Lanarkshire Referee Association Dallas Jnr hit the jackpot at the age of 31 when he joined the FIFA list. Incredibly he hadn’t refereed a Celtic first team match when he got that accolade.
The FIFA list provides a ticket to ride, pick up lucrative match fees while enjoying business class travel and five-star hotels. On its own it provides more than the average national wage on top of the real job and SFA appointments.
Last season Dallas Jnr was put in charge of the League Cup Final between Celtic and Aberdeen as he looked forward to a decade or more of influence, just like Daddy.
Bizarrely during the summer Andrew resigned from the FIFA list, the cynical suggested that he jumped before being pushed. Despite Daddy being on the UEFA Committee making appointments.
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The leading domestic matches are generally shared between the FIFA referees but Dallas Jnr has still managed eight SPFL Premiership matches this season including two involving the club from Ibrox.
His star does seem to be on the wane but across football, fans outside of Ibrox and match officials outwith the Lanarkshire elite, there is no sympathy for Hugh’s laddie regardless of the sympathetic press that he attracts, just like Dad.
INTERVIEW: Referee Andrew Dallas on:
•Why VAR must come to Scotland
•Handling the heat
•Making right and wrong calls
•”Trial by Sportscene”
•Lennon, McInnes, Gerrard, Levein
•Batman + Spiderman
•”Hugh Dallas’s boy”
My interview in The Times tomorrow.
?@thetimesscot? pic.twitter.com/t3w5IydtPs— Graham Spiers (@GrahamSpiers) December 20, 2019
6 penalties in 2 games….4 penalties in the same game, for his team. how does he remain employed? How does his father ever get a job again, never mind as a UEFA official, sacked in disgrace as a sectarian bigot and cheat. Campbell Ogilvie.
— John Johnston (@JohnJoh60210099) December 20, 2019
On the bullet points, Graham missed out
• how to be totally useless at refereeing but get a top gig in Scotland because of your da…and his friends— Jamesyisherefor10inarow (@trebletrebleye1) December 20, 2019
Did you ask him how he got fast tracked to the SPL, despite being totally inept at his job?#nepotism
— andrew dougherty (@docbhoy71) December 20, 2019
By FAR the worse ref in top flight & his ‘da’ is Anti-Catholic.. excellent choice of interviewee ??
— The Motor Mechanic (@weemo88) December 20, 2019
Of course he wants VAR who wouldn’t want another gravy train that would keeps the clique in place and lines their pockets at the same time,how young Andrew has survived at the top level is mystifying,and maybe you could ask him that question Graham.
— frank gallagher (@frankgallaghe18) December 20, 2019
Dallas awarded four penalties to Rangers in one game. Perhaps he, above all, knows how bad refereeing can get.
— Ray Devlin (@Ray_Devlin) December 20, 2019
The interview that no one asked for
— George (@Axelfoley81) December 20, 2019
Worst referee in the country by quite a margin. Never watched a game where he hasn’t made a catastrophic mistake.
— Mike Nodes (@mikenodes) December 20, 2019
Andrew Dallas is the poster boy for nepotism in Scottish football. Guy couldn’t referee Glencairn V Ashfeild to a decent degree plus several other junior games and he’s still fast tracked to the top. Shameful promoting him.
— Paul Reynolds (@SaulBhoy) December 20, 2019
I will look forward to missing that.
— paddy smyth (@paddyceltic106) December 20, 2019
The state of him pic.twitter.com/jD3XHNxJ8e
— EddieWinchester (@Ed__Winchester) December 20, 2019
Ha ha ha ha. His Da doesn’t even rate him as a ref.
During his climb through the ranks he got more support than other trainees did. Nepotism.— Michael Dickson (@Michael15013412) December 20, 2019
He is literally bottom of the list in terms of SPL referees.
He’s an example of a referee who I wouldn’t ask for the opinion of on a controversial decision.— ProEddielutionSoccer (@CooperEd_) December 20, 2019
Problem is being a referee isn’t a genetically inherited trait and he is woeful and grossly ovepromoted
— Craig Richardson (@Craigr68) December 21, 2019
VAR must come to Scotland to make sure Celtic do not get awarded any goals which MIGHT be offside. Funny how they’re talking about bringing it in now. PS. Be careful what you wish for.
— TimBuffy47 (@Timbuffy47) December 20, 2019
An astonishingly bad referee when he was doing league 1 games
— Michael Beattie (@DrLichtie) December 20, 2019
Did he talk about Scottish referees having “impartiality”? If it wisnae in the times I’d read it Graham.
— Michael Kemp (@kemp1888) December 20, 2019
Did you ask him if he thought it was odd that he was fast tracked with very little experience of top flight football even though his Sectarian bigoted Dad was sacked for being eh a Sectarian bigot ? Only in Scotland eh Graham ? #nothingtoseehere #Lanarkshirerefereesassociation
— Griff (@MildooWolf) December 20, 2019
