Even B.O. Bhoy knows they're bigots

[Norris Cole 0]

There has been something quite disgusting about the treatment doled out to Mike McCurry, the Scottish referee who has just been binned by the SFA, two years before he was due to retire. McCurry, an ordained Baptist minister, has gone from being Scotland's leading referee two years ago to a state of oblivion in football.

 

First, he has had to endure ludicrous tabloid headlines about his private life, and also, due to his denominational leanings, been repeatedly abused by a section of Celtic supporters. McCurry has made mistakes on the field but his abrupt removal from the SFA list of officials is deplorable.

 

 

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/05/ranger-must-close-out-title-race-if-they-are-to-be-great-again.html

[Norris Cole 0]

From the same site:-

 

 

Mike McCurry effectively sacked as grade one referee

 

Graham Spiers

 

The SFA is suddenly two leading referees down after Mike McCurry was effectively sacked yesterday by the organisation as a grade one official, while Stuart Dougal confirmed that he was sticking to his decision last week, with his retirement imminent, not to play any further part in the remainder of the season.

 

Dougal�s fine career has been slightly tarnished by recent controversies, notably while handling the Celtic-Dundee United game at Celtic Park last Tuesday and Saturday�s Rangers-Aberdeen encounter at Ibrox, both of which brought him criticism. Two players were sent off in the Ibrox game.

 

McCurry�s dismissal, however, has been more shocking in its swiftness and brutality. Two years ago the 43-year-old was regarded by many as Scotland�s leading match official, having been handed a host of big games, including seven Old Firm encounters. Now, he has been made virtually a nonperson by the SFA.

 

McCurry, who is also an ordained Baptist minister, has had a torrid 18 months. The referee has been the subject of lurid newspaper headlines about his private life, while also being savaged for mistakes made in a number of high-profile matches in which he has recently officiated.

 

Over the weekend the SFA�s Referees Committee took the decision to axe McCurry forthwith from their grade one list, a full two years before he was due to retire. Kenny Hope, the former referee who is now a member of the Referee Committee, telephoned McCurry to relay to him the grim news.

 

McCurryââ?¬â?¢s grade one career as a referee was due to finish at the end of the 2010-11 season. He has, in effect, been put out to grass by the SFA two years early. Last night he was said to be ââ?¬Å?guttedââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?dismayedââ?¬Â by the decision.

 

There have been persistent rumours in Scottish football that McCurry has been unfairly victimised by the SFA, which he hinted at when interviewed by The Times in March this year. The match official had been mauled in particular by Craig Levein, the Dundee United manager, for crucial mistakes that he made a year ago when Rangers beat United 3-1 at Ibrox.

 

Levein called McCurry ââ?¬Å?weakââ?¬Â and said that he had ââ?¬Å?bottled itââ?¬Â that May afternoon after the referee had disallowed a Danny Swanson goal for United and had also refused to give Leveinââ?¬â?¢s team what was perceived to be a blatant penalty.

 

ââ?¬Å?Iââ?¬â?¢ve had a tough time, there is no doubt about it,ââ?¬Â McCurry said in his interview with The Times. ââ?¬Å?As a referee I am no longer given the high-profile games I once was, though I canââ?¬â?¢t comment on that, you would need to ask the SFA about it.

 

ââ?¬Å?But it is very obvious: if you compare last season with this one, and look at both the high-profile games I did, and the number of live TV games I did, they are both greatly reduced.ââ?¬Â

 

It has been alleged that McCurry has become a particular victim of the views held by Hugh Dallas, who heads up the SFA�s referees development department.

 

It is an allegation that was given further credence yesterday by a public relations company, believed to be acting with McCurryââ?¬â?¢s approval, which issued a statement in which it was claimed that Dallas and Donald McVicar ââ?¬â?? also in charge of SFA referees ââ?¬â?? had ââ?¬Å?made it personalââ?¬Â with McCurry.

 

The statement went on to claim that the SFA had wanted ââ?¬Å?ridââ?¬Â of McCurry ever since he became an ordained minister four years ago. Dallas, who would not comment on the matter yesterday, has always vehemently denied that there was any personal agenda against McCurry, but that it was always simply a matter of refereeing competence and performance.

 

There has been a decided shift in SFA policy, however, since Dallas told The Times two months ago: ââ?¬Å?I can say categorically that Mike McCurry has not been castigated or cast out by the SFA.

 

ââ?¬Å?Mike is still one of our grade one officials and has been doing plenty of SPL matches. So the idea that Mike has been ostracised by us is not true.ââ?¬Â

 

An SFA spokesman said last night: ââ?¬Å?There is nothing sinister about Mike McCurryââ?¬â?¢s removal from the grade one list. What happens is that the Referee Committee keep a constant monitor of how our referees are doing, and their performances are judged throughout the season, as they should be.

 

ââ?¬Å?The committee then decides who should be retained, or promoted, and who shouldnââ?¬â?¢t, which is what has happened in this case.ââ?¬Â

 

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/scotland/article6315721.ece

[calscot 0]

The thing is McCurry called it correctly for the Dundee Utd game AS HE AND HIS LINESMEN SAW IT. You can't really ask for more than that. The decisions took several replay angles to show he didn't get it right but a referee doesn't have that luxury. If your view is obscured in the run of play, what are you supposed to do without X-ray eyes?

 

The only real accusation you could make of his competence is that he wasn't in the perfect position at the times of the calls - but is that fair or not?

 

It demonstrates why we desperately need TV replays (also with cameras in the goalposts to show if the ball crosses the line).

[craig 5,199]

If they can look themselves in the mirror and say that McCurry's preformances have been worse than the likes of Dougal and Smith then heaven help Scottish Football.

[Bluedell 5,356]

There has been something quite disgusting about the treatment doled out to Mike McCurry, the Scottish referee who has just been binned by the SFA, two years before he was due to retire. McCurry, an ordained Baptist minister, has gone from being Scotland's leading referee two years ago to a state of oblivion in football.

 

First, he has had to endure ludicrous tabloid headlines about his private life, and also, due to his denominational leanings, been repeatedly abused by a section of Celtic supporters. McCurry has made mistakes on the field but his abrupt removal from the SFA list of officials is deplorable.

 

 

http://timesonline.typepad.com/thegame/2009/05/ranger-must-close-out-title-race-if-they-are-to-be-great-again.html

 

Denominational leanings that Spiers himself has highlighted on every possible occasion, together with Keevins etc. They then pretend to be shocked when it is highlighted by Celtic fans.

 

The truth is that journalists are more to blame than the fans for the whole McCurry situation.

 

McCurry has reffed plenty of OF games over the years. It appeared to me that he went out of his way not to favour Rangers because of his background.

 

However Celtic minded journalists just couldn't hold back and went for him with the issue of the affair (no matter how deserved) and then the ludicrous highlighting of the fact that he said Jesus was simply the best, and used that for a song.

 

All the best for the future, Michael.

[gisabeer 409]

I will watch with enthusiasm as Dallas and co give a few more their marching orders given some of the decisions i have witnessed this season.

 

Mr Murphy alone, giving celtic the benefit of the doubt last season in their thrre two win over us and the flagging a perfectly good goal against Motherwell.

 

Two very bad decisions, just like McCurry.

 

I wont be holding my breath though.

[johnny123 0]

A disgrace the way McCurry has been treated by both the mhedia and the SFA.

 

I'm not one who usually sticks up for Refs but over the years McCurry has been one of the fairer ones making less mistakes all in than others.

 

I hope he comes out and dishes the dirt on others regarding this affair.

[Frankie 8,185]

McCurry made a rod for his own back with the interview Spiers mentions... He was always going to be binned after that.

 

Mistakes or not last season, I'm astonished the SFA can afford to lose one of our better referees.

 

Here is an article I wrote last season shortly after the McCurry nonsense - the stats speak for themselves.

 

http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/newsite/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=600&Itemid=2

 

However, if they getting rid of crap referees, I look forward to the likes of Brines, Smith and Richmond all being demoted.

[Super_Ally 0]

Brines, Smith and Richmond for starters.