DUNDEE, SCOTLAND - AUGUST 10: Premier Sports' Michael Stewart during a William Hill Premiership match between Dundee and Heart of Midlothian at the Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park, on August 10, 2024, in Dundee, Scotland. (Photo by Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images)
Michael Stewart has been banned from media duties at Hampden because of his criticism of referees!
Ian Maxwell has written directly to the former Scotland midfielder to inform him of the decision.
BBC Scotland and Premier Sports have been informed of the issue and have agreed to comply with the ban.
Stewart would normally be part of Premier Sports coverage of the Scottish Cup semi-finals this weekend.
The decision by the SFA effectively means that they are choosing the pundits for broadcasters.
If you don’t comply and play the game access is denied. Your ability to earn is reduced.
The Sun reports:
HAMPDEN bosses have banned Michael Stewart indefinitely over his criticism of refs.
SunSport can reveal pundit Stewart was ordered to stay away from the national stadium before last month’s Scotland friendly with Japan.
SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell is thought to have informed him he won’t be welcomed back any time soon.
It’s understood the association are fed up with what they believe has been a sustained and concerted effort from Stewart to question their integrity.
They are also unhappy at his treatment of head of refereeing Willie Collum and match officials during his work for Premier Sports.
Refs and assistants are believed to have made their complaints known to the SFA and Premier Sports via the Scottish Senior Football Referees’ Association.
Scottish referees have had a nightmare season under the leadership of Willie Collum.
The Head of Refereeing at the SFA is only interested in projecting himself as a right good lad in media circles.
Last week FIFA announced 170 officials to take charge of 104 matches at the expanded World Cup Finals. Wisely they have body-swerved the conflicted mob on Collum’s rota.
Perhaps if the SFA got in line with every major country in UEFA and got their officials to declare the club that they support they might gain some respect.
STEWART HAS ACCESS TO THE SECRET VAR CONVERSATIONS
Working on co-commentary duty Stewart gets access to the conversation with VAR officials.
He highlights the concerns of supporters over a cheap version of VAR, sub-standard officials and a climate of cover ups.
Matthew MacDermid has had a nightmare season. A walking disaster.
He is an accident waiting to happen, totally overwhelmed by events going on around him.
Being a fellow member of the Lanarkshire Referee Association Collum has put him in charge of Sunday’s match between Celtic and St Mirren.
In his last Celtic match MacDermid sent off Auston Trusty against Hibs then ‘missed’ the blatant and extended shirt pulling on Liam Scales from a Celtic corner.
This weekend’s Premier Sports pundits are all approved by Ian Maxwell and the SFA.
Stewart played for Manchester United, Hearts and Hibs, gaining four full international caps.
Maxwell played for Queens Park, St Johnstone, Ross County and Partick Thistle.
This is absolutely shocking! Despicable that the broadcasters have agreed to this! What a cosy Cabal it is that is running Scottish Football! Only in Scotland! ???????
Surely he can sue?
How can referees decide he can’t earn cos they don’t like his hurty words?
If ever proof were needed our refs are shite this is it, in fact, as we close in on the most important part of any season we’ve ever had….do they not want certain individuals to hear VAR conversations?
The big fix is on.
The only sane and independent voice in the room , the man’s got to be admired for his openness and honesty not to mention his courage , he’s like a breath of fresh air who all fair minded people who will miss him , this amounts to a sacking , deprived of employment a loss of income , i’d love to see it brought before an unfair dismissal tribunal , that would open some can of worms which is long coming
If Sky Sports had any brains they would double his money and sign him up instantly.
You’re quite right but Scottish football Sky rate Kris Boyd so I expect they lack the brains to do as you suggest.
I wonder if on these grounds this will mean the arch conspiracy theorists of Rangers International Football Club 2012 will be banned by the SFA politburo as well.
They’re hardly there anyway.
A letter from Maxwell?
He’s a dafty and could have gormlessly opened a can of worms!
Looks like Maxwell and the SFA is ‘restricting trade’ for Stewart, and if he gets punted from his pundit job he can sue both for financial and reputations harm?
And worse than that: the SFA has received considerable sums of government monies in the past – and presumably it still does?presumably
So, there is a public interest angle here from Scottish taxpayers whose money has funded the SFA?
A swift retraction and apology to Stewart would be the sensible action,
but then again it’s the SFA and Maxwell…
He is far to honest for the Rotten Cabal at the head of the Rotten higherarcy that runs ? the Secretive Establishment. We seen what happened to Stewart at the BBC Sportscene debacle. Only in Parochial Scotland.
As a foreigner, can someone explain the localized referee association?
How does that work? And what happens with Referee associations from eg. The Scottish Highlands, Edinburgh etc.
Because all I hear is Lanarkshire.
Everywhere I ever went, referee associations are national and fall under the Football authorities (KNVB, KBVB, DFB, NFF etc.). Why is it so much different in Scotland. Because it sounds like me, they miss a lot of talent and quality of referee if you use just one area for your referees. No wonder they are extremely below standard.
I don’t think it will help much, because there isn’t any liability in Scotland, like referee interviews after the match. Where they explain themselves. Or a point system based on their performances.
Editor: If you are from Wishaw or Bellshill you are far more likely to reach the top in Scottish refereeing than someone from Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen. Hugh Dallas is from Lanarkshire, so is his useless son.
Never thought I’d see the day, but I’m reaching the point I don’t wanna watch SPL games anymore due to the fact some teams are up against it before a baw is even kicked.
I say again, I don’t think we have particularly bad referees, we just have a corrupt & biased system that favours certain clubs, and the SPL are complicit due to their complete lack of a will for change.
Yet again no refs at a major tourney and barely any getting euro games….you trying to tell me our governing body doesn’t notice this?
That’s a belter Ian BAWBAG Saxwell giving a ban to Michael Stewart.
Saxwell is ne er SOBER enough to dish out any bans,a jumped up ALKIE tramp that you would throw twobob in his direction to afford him a cup of tea.
CORRUPTION at the highest level,Michael Stewart calks it out as it is and he is punished fir this,are we living in China or North Korea lol or even worse America now.
To many BOOTLICKERS in the press and at the SFA for football to move forward in this country.
The ALKIE ARSEHOLE Saxwell is one of the reasons I didn’t want us to qualify for the World Cup,it only lines his pockets and all the other PONCES at the SFA.
I JUST HOPE WE GET A RIGHT GOOD SCUDDING AT THIS WORLD CUP, INFACT A HOPE IT’S A TOTAL EMBARRASSMENT FOR US,EVERY GAME A 4 OR 5 NIL DEFEAT SHOULD DO IT.
Will they also ban Ally McMoist too.
He called them corrupt.
Stevie @ 4.42pm…
NOT A FU**IN CHANCE !