Is the game in Scotland corrupt?

[John Findlay]

Let me start by saying that Roman Romanov was not in-correct in what he said with regards corruption in the Scottish game. Where he was in-correct was to say it at the shareholders AGM. That meeting was not the time or the place.

 

Hearts are currently seventh in the SPL as the team have not been good enough on the park over thirty three league games to have won enough points to be challenging for anything.

 

However as one who has been a follower/supporter of Heart of Midlothian FC for the past forty three years and therefore a follower of Scottish football for the same period. I have over the years formed the opinion that the SFA are corrupt and without question favour two teams who bide in Glasgow. Those two teams being Celtic and Rangers.

 

I could go over old ground and list here numerous refereeing decisions, SFA decisions that have favoured those two teams but, I would just be repeating myself.

 

All I will say is yes I believe there is a dishonest bias by the majority of our match officials for these two teams and that when it really comes to punish them as clubs or players for wrong doing then the SFA are like my late Grandad Dickson. TOOTHLESS.

 

 

 

John

[Professor.Arturo]

Let me start by saying that Roman Romanov was not in-correct in what he said with regards corruption in the Scottish game. Where he was in-correct was to say it at the shareholders AGM. That meeting was not the time or the place.

 

Hearts are currently seventh in the SPL as the team have not been good enough on the park over thirty three league games to have won enough points to be challenging for anything.

 

However as one who has been a follower/supporter of Heart of Midlothian FC for the past forty three years and therefore a follower of Scottish football for the same period. I have over the years formed the opinion that the SFA are corrupt and without question favour two teams who bide in Glasgow. Those two teams being Celtic and Rangers.

 

I could go over old ground and list here numerous refereeing decisions, SFA decisions that have favoured those two teams but, I would just be repeating myself.

 

All I will say is yes I believe there is a dishonest bias by the majority of our match officials for these two teams and that when it really comes to punish them as clubs or players for wrong doing then the SFA are like my late Grandad Dickson. TOOTHLESS.

 

 

 

John

I agree John, problem is....its been that long ingrained that the SFA and weegie hordes dont even see it as corruption any more..its the norm.

 

Millions of examples, heres one, how is it that Barry the crab only ever gets booked by European refs? when was the last time he was booked in the SPL?

[Guest JamboRobbo]

The correct time for our chairman to talk about this, is if and when we have concrete evidence.

 

Until we have concrete evidence, there is no point in our owners and chairman or whoever else connected with HMFC moaning about something we cannot prove - it just gets us in more trouble.

[lewis2006]

Yes it is.

 

It happened in Italy and people who think it couldn't or isn't happening on these shores are deluded.

[interista]

The correct time for our chairman to talk about this, is if and when we have concrete evidence.

 

Until we have concrete evidence, there is no point in our owners and chairman or whoever else connected with HMFC moaning about something we cannot prove - it just gets us in more trouble.

 

Unfortunately, we'd have to engage in illegal phone tapping to get the evidence. The kind of phone tapping that, luckily, was permitted in Italy.

[Del1812]

Yes it is.

 

It happened in Italy and people who think it couldn't or isn't happening on these shores are deluded.

 

Well said that man.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Unfortunately, we'd have to engage in illegal phone tapping to get the evidence. The kind of phone tapping that, luckily, was permitted in Italy.

 

Agree, but really, until/unless we do acheive that, nothing will be done, and our chairman moaning about it without evidence will just get us in further trouble.

 

Basically, Rodney needs to put up or shut up.

[ToadKiller Dog]

yes there is corruption in the scottish game right from the bottom up it is entrenched in west coast interests,like a lot of things in scotland BBC for example,i have even seen it in the training of new refs,went to watch my nephews under 10s play in a tournament in the west,the favoritisms towards the west coast teams was shocking

and thats kids football,I also know from a mate who is a ref that it is far more difficult for an east coast based ref to advance in grade .

There are a lot of questions that need to be asked about how and in whos interest scottish football is run but there is nobody in a position of strength to ask them ,not the media who pander to them,not politicians who need votes and not the other clubs who have there own self interests getting in the way.

 

But RR was wrong to raise it at this time as the club is in a very weak position so it just looks like sour grapes,his 15 points point was wrong also.because the weakness of our position we are just there to be ridiculed,i think he was just saying it as a dumb attempt to divert from his lack of knowledge an inability to answer questions asked off him at the meeting.

[dallan]

Sorry but the only reason we've not won the title for fifty years is because of Hearts and nobody else. I'll agree there may be bias but corruption - get a grip and stop giving Romanov undeserved credibility.

[Commander Harris]

Is the game in Scotland corrupt?

 

possibly.

[Rods]

I had a discussion about this with a hobo

 

My conclusion was it is an unwritten rule that split decisions will go to the OF

 

Ferguson handball at hampden for example

[boabyarsebiscuit]

John, you asked if the "game" in Scotland is corrupt. I'll take that to mean more than just referees and assistant referees.

 

Generally, referees appear to be biased towards the Old Firm. We as a club also have to deal with other "Wild Card" factors such as an openly biased against Hearts ref, Dougie McDonald. However none of that is new, and I personally feel it is wrong to suggest our poor League position is down to refereeing bias (if that is what Rodney the ****** was actually doing when making his comments on Friday).

 

The SFA as an institution also pander towards the Old Firm, as do the media. Dealing with the second one first, for the media it is a case of not wishing to alienate their public, which is predominantly OF supporting. A good example is the Herald and their "apology" to Celtic Football Club at the weekend. Also, how often are the Old Firm on Setanta on Monday nights?

 

The SFA also tend to get caught up in special treatment of the Old Firm - rearranged fixtures for example. International call-offs. To name just two examples.

 

Is our "game" corrupt? It might be. It is most certainly biased. However as Aberdeen showed in the 1980s if you make yourself so much better than the Old Firm you can take the bias out of the equation to a certain extent. That's what we should be trying to do. Not making daft accusations in trying to cover up our own-goal footballing policy of the past 2 years.

 

Also Scotland is not the only country where the favouring of big teams goes on. The dodgy 93rd minute penalty for Paris SG in the French League Cup Final a few weeks back springs to mind. And those Scandinavians brought up on a diet of Live 1980s English football on TV supporting Liverpool, well, its always handy having one of those around to award you a penalty for nothing when you are 7 minutes away from being knocked out of the Champions League.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

I had a discussion about this with a hobo

 

My conclusion was it is an unwritten rule that split decisions will go to the OF

 

Ferguson handball at hampden for example

 

Or Jonnson handball at Tynie? Which the same ref let go?

[Gambo]

Let me start by saying that Roman Romanov was not in-correct in what he said with regards corruption in the Scottish game. Where he was in-correct was to say it at the shareholders AGM. That meeting was not the time or the place.

 

Hearts are currently seventh in the SPL as the team have not been good enough on the park over thirty three league games to have won enough points to be challenging for anything.

 

However as one who has been a follower/supporter of Heart of Midlothian FC for the past forty three years and therefore a follower of Scottish football for the same period. I have over the years formed the opinion that the SFA are corrupt and without question favour two teams who bide in Glasgow. Those two teams being Celtic and Rangers.

 

I could go over old ground and list here numerous refereeing decisions, SFA decisions that have favoured those two teams but, I would just be repeating myself.

 

All I will say is yes I believe there is a dishonest bias by the majority of our match officials for these two teams and that when it really comes to punish them as clubs or players for wrong doing then the SFA are like my late Grandad Dickson. TOOTHLESS.

 

 

 

John

 

IMO yes it is.

 

RR only need point the GFA in the direction of the Celtic/Aberdeen game at the weekend, or to the comments made by a referee that you have to referee old-firm games differently.

 

Twice this season Ferguson has raised his hands to an opponent in full view of the officials yet escaped any punishment, yet players from other teams see instant red or bookings more often than not resulting in disciplinary points and suspensions.

[doctor jambo]

IT will never be dealy with properly for a couple of reasons

Firstly for religious reasons- you cannot separate The OF from religion and people willing to throw the anti-catholic or anti- protestant accusations around. Religion protects these two from censure

Secondly political- no politician wanting elected will ever stand up and make any declaration- or its the dole for them

Thirdly- evidence- in Italy they needed to bribe refs- that is not needed over here, the refs do it off thier own backs, for FREE, with no collusion, there is no evidence to be gathered

Four- the vast majority of the public support the OF, so there is no national desire to change the status quo- most of the country thinks there is no problem to fix!

Five - money- see Berlusconi is being re-elected as an example- money is power. They have it all

[Neil R]

The fact that refs openly admit to refereeing old firm games differently sums it up for me - the rules are there for everyone and you can't just decide not to follow them because of what game it is.

 

Dougie Macdonald is another one - how he has any credibility left after his explanation for not giving Rudi a pen in the cup final against Gretna I'll never know.

 

The media silence after the disgraceful scenes at the old firm game last week was not surprising. I'm honestly amazed how some people can still think we have a neutral and unbiased media in this country. Had that been an edinburgh derby we would have been slaughtered.

 

The way the media treat similiar incidents differently is also annoying. Velicka got hung out to dry after the falkirk game incident with Darren Barr, whilst Grainger gets away scot-free for holding his face despite not being hit there by Stewart.

 

I've pretty much had enough to be honest. It's not a level playing field.

[Drylaw Hearts]

I had a discussion about this with a hobo

 

My conclusion was it is an unwritten rule that split decisions will go to the OF

 

Ferguson handball at hampden for example

 

What about Goncalves's hand ball only 10 seconds earlier ?

[alwaysthereinspirit]

What about Goncalves's hand ball only 10 seconds earlier ?

 

One call missed out of every 20 doesn't really mean much. Our game is corrupt. No if, and or buts about it.

[portobellojambo1]

I'll agree there may be bias but corruption

 

Agree totally.

 

Happens in probably every football league in the world.

 

Biased referees, referees being influenced by large crowds, as a result seeming to favour the big clubs at the top end of the table, a generally poor overall standard of refereeing is also commonplace, more noticeable within Scotland because there are fewer to choose from, but to suggest that these referees, possibly even the whole system is openly corrupt is going over the mark IMO. Unless of course someone has proof.

 

I know referees are biased I have witnessed it, I know they favour the bigger clubs, I have witnessed it, I know they are a poor standard, I have witnessed it, however I do not think referees are corrupt, because I have not witnessed any money changing hands between clubs and these officials.

 

You can only come out and openly state the Scottish game is corrupt if you have the proof to back that up, and if you have the proof give it to the police and let them deal with it, making a s s hole statements within club AGM's will not solve the problem if it does indeed exist.

 

And using it as an excuse for in house incompetence, as Roman Romanov did, is simply unacceptable.

[Drylaw Hearts]

FWIW....

 

I think the SFA do want the OF to do better than the rest.

 

I think they see them as the best chance of Scottish Clubs doing well in Europe as they are much, much bigger than any of the rest it's member Clubs.

 

Potentially they are both in the Top 10 - Top 15 Clubs in Europe.

 

Their size, turnover, support etc are way above most of the BIG Clubs in the bigger countries.

 

 

I also think Refs are intimidated by their reputation and although the don't get all the decisions they do get more than their fair share.

 

Aberdeen and Utd often got the better of them domestically in the early eighties.

 

Were the Refs not bias then ?

 

The OF had to up thier game. Rangers took the upperhand by employing Souness and giving him a blank checkbook it took Celtic a longtime to recover from that and only when they rid themselves of their 'biscuit tin' mentality did they then begin to compete again.

 

They don't needs Refs to help them beat us or other teams reguarly.

 

They spend more money on Transfer Fees, pay bigger Salaries and generally employ better Managers.

 

 

There have been times over the last 25 years where we have put in a challenge every now and then but the challenge has usually not lasted the pace because of strength of squad.

 

When we lost the League in 85/86 it wasn't because of bad refereeing.

 

When we ran out of steam in 97/98 it wasn't because of bad refereeing.

 

When we surrendered our challenge in 05/06 it wasn't because of bad refereeing.

 

 

A good enough squad of players will make an early challenge but the squad has to be improved on at the right time.

 

We've never done that.

 

They always have.

[Tatlock]

How about the way that Hearts are always 'top of the crime count' in terms of bookings and sendings off?

 

No coincidence that since Levein tried to take 'them' all the way we get booked and sent off more than almost any other team in scotland. Are we really the roughest toughest team in the league?

 

I think 'the referees are recouping the unpaid portion of Leveins fines year on year and its just become common place to book hearts players when other similar offences by other teams get lesser treatment.

 

This is not paranoia from me but I find it incredible that the amount of dissent and aggressive behaviour from Rangers players in particular is left without censure whilst not just hearts but other 'smaller teams get whuped.

 

And dont get me started on dodgy penalties. I remember in the early 60's when my dad asked one of our neighbors for the rangers result to be told it was 0-0 when my dad said with a straight face "oh who missed Rangers Penalty then". Says it all really it has always been biassed towards Rangers and Celtic.

[Tynie b]

I said, when Burley had the team on that great run a few seasons ago, That We, Hearts Would not be allowed to win the league, The GFA was never going to let it happen. Luckily for them the P**** MadVlad managed to stop it for them!!

 

Yes the game is corrupt, the Referee's are biased towards the Bigot Brothers at Every Opportunity. For me the Andy Davis/Hugh Dallas incident at Tynecastle was as obvious a call by a linesman who WANTED Rangers to win as I have Ever seen, Anyone who couldn't see that, Well, I would be lost for words or I'd be talking to a Blue Nose S C U M ****ER!!

 

It's not JUST the GFA, The Press HATE Us, TBH, That is the fault of one Man...See Above!!

[Sharpie]

Roman Romanov and Scottish football share a common factor. Both are totally incompetent at what they do. Both equally share a common dislike for each other, and because of this make statements that should be beneath the dignity of their positions.

 

The nearest I have seen as corruption however is the serious fines that have been inflicted upon Hearts by the league, these may slip into the definition of corupt behaviour because the rules are being utilized to satisfy a feeling for revenge for statements made.

 

My opening sentence is as stated, the ensuing comments relate to the Romanovs'

[coppercrutch]

Agree, but really, until/unless we do acheive that, nothing will be done, and our chairman moaning about it without evidence will just get us in further trouble.

 

Basically, Rodney needs to put up or shut up.

 

Well his dad did a pretty good job at 'putting up'. Instead of getting the backing he deserved from the rest of Scottish football he got abused for this. In fact he got as much abuse from our very own fans. Incredible.

 

This does not have anything to do with anything else that Vlad is, or has done with our club. We all know the problems. That is a different conversation.

 

However when talking about people 'putting up or shutting up' you must remember the very people telling Vlad to shut up were Hearts fans. We should have been right behind him with his abuse of the OF, Wiedgie media and SFA. Instead most Hearts fans crawled under their rocks like the rest of Scottish football in fear of 'rocking the boat' , or because 'what good will it do, it's only making things worse'.

 

In all honesty pretty shameful and pathetic. For all Vlads mistakes, and there are many, at least the guy has balls. Whether that is because he is crazy or not who knows, I for one appreciated him giving the OF the abuse they deserve.

 

Now when it comes to getting it right on the park...........

[Father Tiresias]

I don't think that corrupt is the right word. Corruption smacks of money changing hands and I can't remember there ever being any accusation of that sort within Scottish football.

 

Bias or a leaning to is more accurate.

 

However, all the big clubs in leagues all over the world get more that their fair share of dodgy decisions. You only have to watch La Liga on Sky Sports to witness some of the poor decisions that go the way of Barcelona and especially Real Madrid.

 

When you consider the %age of Old Firm fans within Scottish society, it surely should be no surprise that most of the officials probably have supported one or other of the Old Firm sides at one time in their lives.

 

If 90% of the Scottish population were Hearts supporters, then we'd be getting the benefit of some questionable decisions.

 

It's not an excuse, but it is a reason.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Well his dad did a pretty good job at 'putting up'.

 

His daddy did a good job of talking rubbish. He didn't "put up" anything. That was my point.

 

However when talking about people 'putting up or shutting up' you must remember the very people telling Vlad to shut up were Hearts fans. We should have been right behind him with his abuse of the OF, Wiedgie media and SFA. Instead most Hearts fans crawled under their rocks like the rest of Scottish football in fear of 'rocking the boat' , or because 'what good will it do, it's only making things worse'.

 

Indeed. I was one of them. Because he was making accusations he did not have the evidence to back up.

 

In all honesty pretty shameful and pathetic. For all Vlads mistakes, and there are many, at least the guy has balls. Whether that is because he is crazy or not who knows, I for one appreciated him giving the OF the abuse they deserve.

 

Now when it comes to getting it right on the park...........

 

I agree he has balls. I just don't see anything to be gained by talking big in the papers, but doing the square root of nothing about it, and producing no evidence.

 

If he has EVIDENCE, then use it. If not, shut up.

 

Put up or Shut up.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

You can only come out and openly state the Scottish game is corrupt if you have the proof to back that up, and if you have the proof give it to the police and let them deal with it, making JamboRobbo Edit statements within club AGM's will not solve the problem if it does indeed exist.

 

Exactly PJ1.

[interista]

I don't think that corrupt is the right word. Corruption smacks of money changing hands and I can't remember there ever being any accusation of that sort within Scottish football.

 

Bias or a leaning to is more accurate.

 

However, all the big clubs in leagues all over the world get more that their fair share of dodgy decisions. You only have to watch La Liga on Sky Sports to witness some of the poor decisions that go the way of Barcelona and especially Real Madrid.

 

When you consider the %age of Old Firm fans within Scottish society, it surely should be no surprise that most of the officials probably have supported one or other of the Old Firm sides at one time in their lives.

 

If 90% of the Scottish population were Hearts supporters, then we'd be getting the benefit of some questionable decisions.

 

It's not an excuse, but it is a reason.

 

Does money really need to change hands? How about threats to referees that if they don't play along with "the system" they won't get the big games, they won't get on the FIFA list and so on?

 

There was no proof of money changing hands in the recent Italian scandal. It was all about putting pressure on referees in an unfair manner.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

If it is, it's not the reason for Rangers and Celtic being far better than us, as Rodney seemed to suggest. The problem I have with what he said is that he thinks our downfall is because of this "intrigue". That's ridiculous. Any corruption on the part of referees or anybody else (if it exists at all - I'm extremely doubtful) won't assist the Old Firm greatly anyway, just as it doesn't keep us down (we do a good job of that ourselves). If I push a Ferrari it doesn't make it go any faster, just as booting an old banger with my foot won't make it go any slower.

 

The way to beat those filthy mobs, as it has always been, is on the pitch.

[Hagar the Horrible]

Ok then Corruption might not be the word? the correct terminology would be "Institutional Favouritsm" and it has always been there? but it has gotten worse since money has been the diven factor? ever since the creation of the Champions League decisions have been more blatant?

 

How many times have you heard are you going through to the game against either of the OF when the reply usuly is "Whats the point you get nothing from the refs through there?"

 

To me its worse here than in Italy & Germany as they at least took payment? here its just down to either love or fear? and yes i would say match officials are worth at least 15 points per year to both of them? They both have the press living in fear? The Herald proved that this week?

 

The Hugh Dallas/Andy Davis thing brought it the front, unfortunetly Miko gave the press and the SFA a get out claus? there were 3 big decisions that game 1. Webster should have had a penalty. 2. deleiberate hand ball by andrews when Hearts were straight through led to a goal by Rangers? and 3. the dodgy penalty at the end? but it was the 20 or so small decisions that really cost us that game?

 

Even if the game is sound here? are we are just paranoid? Dont you all think that the perception is that the game is corrupt? and no effort will be done to prove us all wrong? rather that it being down to us to prove we are right? as that would just be unthinkable as what would happen if its true? I would want both the OF relegated to the second devision and my season ticket money returned for the last 10 years at least?

[Impaler]

The assupmtion has to be that there is no corruption in the Scottish game. For anyone to say otherwise must prove it or shut up. These types of threads smack of SPL small man syndrome. We are not as good as the Old Firm and until people accept the harsh reality of that then these paranoid threats will perpetuate.

 

Roman Romanov not only made a total embarrasment of himself at the AGM he besmirched the name of our great club once again! Only when Romanov's Circus has left town will Hearts recover their reputation in Scotland, but I'm sure that if and when he and his obsequious clowns do ride off into the sunset they will leave the club in a much worse condition than they found it which for most of us is hard to believe.

 

It's no good cherry picking certain incidents(Andy Davis) over the years to buttress an infinitely weak argument. Players make as many or sometimes more mistakes in a game than Referees do.

[DETTY29]

FWIW....

 

I think the SFA do want the OF to do better than the rest.

 

I think they see them as the best chance of Scottish Clubs doing well in Europe as they are much, much bigger than any of the rest it's member Clubs.

 

 

I think this is the crux of the matter.

 

What they can't get into their thick, self centred mindset is that the more competion there is, the stronger the game becomes, Celtic and Rangers will become more competitve in Europe and the national team will propser.

 

Let's just wait for the call for Queen of the South to be only given a few thousand tickets for the cup final. It's the National Cup Final, the gate should be split 50;50 and only when Queens intimate they will be struggling to shift their allocation, should tickets be given back.

[gorgie rd eh11]

There were strong rumours that a certain linesman, who had given a decision that no other person or camera had picked up, had more than a passing interest in a certain club. That decision enabled the club to win the league instead of their biggest rivals.

There was no investigation of these rumours by our media. Why not, that would be a huge story. The bias of both officials and media towards rantic is so ingrained people just accept it.

Was rangers penalty award yesterday a correct one. Possibly was. Was it more of a penalty than the one dundee united did not get in the cis final. No chance. When they need a decision they get one. They two i have just highlighted is the difference between winning two cups or winning none.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

There were strong rumours that a certain linesman, who had given a decision that no other person or camera had picked up, had more than a passing interest in a certain club. That decision enabled the club to win the league instead of their biggest rivals.

 

Rumours, yes. But any actual concrete evidence?

 

If there was evidence, I'd be in agreement.

 

I find it hard to believe that there is concrete evidence out there, and not a single person was able or willing to produce it.

[doctor jambo]

Rumours, yes. But any actual concrete evidence?

 

If there was evidence, I'd be in agreement.

 

I find it hard to believe that there is concrete evidence out there, and not a single person was able or willing to produce it.

 

 

And if someone had that evidence would they "cough it up"?

If a Rantic fan had it - then no

If they reported it to the SFA would they do anything with it? No

If they went to the media would they run with it? No

If they went to the police would anything be done? No

UEFA? Not interested in Nazi (sorry, cultural Irish)salutes, sectarian chanting no-one can hear etc so doubt it very much, and even if they did they would ask the SFA about it first, so No

SO you would have, erm, useless evidence

No one is interested in our , reltively wee tean slaverings

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

What makes it less likely, for me, is that this type of discussion goes on among fans of smaller teams in every country in the entire world and only very occasionally does something crop up that actually proves it.

[The White Cockade]

bl**dy referees

favouring Celtic Rangers Hibs Dundee Utd Motherwell and Aberdeen

ahead of us

we have such a great team we should have won the league this year if it wasn't for them!

get real guys, the Scottish League, SFA and media have always been biased in favour of the gruesome twosome but we finished seventh because we are seventh best

IMO 2 years ago if Mad Vlad had left Burley get on with it we would have won the double

its not the SFA thats holding us back

[Guest JamboRobbo]

And if someone had that evidence would they "cough it up"?

If a Rantic fan had it - then no

If they reported it to the SFA would they do anything with it? No

If they went to the media would they run with it? No

If they went to the police would anything be done? No

UEFA? Not interested in Nazi (sorry, cultural Irish)salutes, sectarian chanting no-one can hear etc so doubt it very much, and even if they did they would ask the SFA about it first, so No

SO you would have, erm, useless evidence

No one is interested in our , reltively wee tean slaverings

 

Good point. Italy's recent cases being the perfect example.

 

If there is evidence, we should produce it. If we have none, we should shut up.

[doctor jambo]

Good point. Italy's recent cases being the perfect example.

 

If there is evidence, we should produce it. If we have none, we should shut up.

 

IN Italy the media is not all in cahoots to two teams

ANd anyway- the punishments were downgraded

In Scotland , as I've said money does not swap hands- the refs do it because they are not neutral- they support the OF, as does the SFA-

the old its the tail wagging the dog

[coppercrutch]

If he has EVIDENCE, then use it. If not, shut up.

 

Put up or Shut up.

 

So if someone thinks something is going on, but has no evidence to back it up they should "shut up".....

 

Holy **** you are a dream for the OF and the rest of the corrupt nonsense in this country. Vlad, for all his faults, has been the one club owner to come out and clearly state what we all know is going on. I don't give a flying **** if he has evidence or not.

Simple question:

 

If someone suspects another of rape, but they know there will never be any evidence to prove it should they just 'shut up' and not bother telling anyone else. ?

 

Please explain the difference. Because in principle it is exactly the same.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

So if someone thinks something is going on, but has no evidence to back it up they should "shut up".....

 

Holy **** you are a dream for the OF and the rest of the corrupt nonsense in this country. Vlad, for all his faults, has been the one club owner to come out and clearly state what we all know is going on. I don't give a flying **** if he has evidence or not.

 

And I'd say that you are an incompetent chairman's dream. Blame our poor performances on the refs, and you fall for it.

 

Simple question:

 

If someone suspects another of rape, but they know there will never be any evidence to prove it should they just 'shut up' and not bother telling anyone else. ?

 

Please explain the difference. Because the principle it is exactly the same.

 

One difference (from your extremely crass example) is that any corruption in scottish football would have to be happening repeatedly around the country on a weekly/fortnightly/monthly basis.

 

If there was evidence of wrong doing, someone would find it at some point either in the past or future.

 

So just repeatedly making wild allegations, without producing any evidence to back it up, makes us seem like paranoid fools.

[Eldar Hadzimehmedovic]

Just out of interest, does anybody have specific instances in mind where they think, without any doubt, that we were the victims of OF bias or corruption? The one that immediately springs to mind is the Andy Davis one, but that hurt Celtic far, far more than it hurt us.

[DikT.]

We would have to define corruption here. I was going to say that I don't think it is corrupt, only biased, but at the end of the day, is bias not a form of corruption? percjance not financial corruption, but surely morally corrupt? The way I look at referess is simple (to me anyway). To become a referee you must have an interest in football. If you have an interest in football you support one club before any others. Whatever %age of Scottish supporters support an OF tema therefore there is a %age chance the referee supports one of them (insert whatever figure you like in the % space!!)

 

Having said that, most referees are from the well respected professions, would we expect them to be morally corrupt? Thinking on it, probably.........

[portobellojambo1]

In Scotland , as I've said money does not swap hands- the refs do it because they are not neutral- they support the OF, as does the SFA-

 

So is that corruption, if you assume the definition of corruption to be dishonesty, involving the possible exchange of cash for favours, or is it bias.

 

Put another way, if you, personally, were a full time referee, and given charge of a Hearts game, would you referee it perfectly fairly, or would you be tempted, for whatever reason, to maybe give decisions in favour of Hearts.

 

If it were me I know I would be tempted to let Hearts players away with more, that is not because I am corrupt, that is because I am biased.

 

Within Scottish society how do you actively go about picking a football referee who is not biased as such. If they have an interest in football they probably have a favourite football team, and with the make up of Scottish society there is, %age wise, a reasonable chance that that team might be either Rangers or Celtic.

 

If we want to get rid of the bias** we need to get Hearts female supporters producing more children, preferably cloned from non biased referees, who then grow up to be referees. (**possibly better to say if we want to get the bias switched our way)

[Ron Burgundy]

Just out of interest, does anybody have specific instances in mind where they think, without any doubt, that we were the victims of OF bias or corruption? The one that immediately springs to mind is the Andy Davis one, but that hurt Celtic far, far more than it hurt us.

 

 

Skacel putting a foot over the line at Parkhead and being booked.Cannot EVER recall a Celtic player being booked against us for that.

 

Same season but Tynie fixture,blatant dive by the midget and we get a man sent off.

 

When was an OF player pulled up using TV evidence against us like Hartley was,FFS Webster managed to elbow himself in the face.

 

Bobo Baldes blatant attack on Bednar in the box when he can canned him in the windpipe in the box but no penalty.

 

Marvin Andrews assault on Bednar.

 

Thats just a few off the top of my head but I could probably dig out another 30 or 40 if I had the time and inclination.

 

Anyone who cannot see bias is either an Old firm fan or knob end.(not aimed at you)

[coppercrutch]

And I'd say that you are an incompetent chairman's dream. Blame our poor performances on the refs, and you fall for it.

 

 

 

One difference (from your extremely crass example) is that any corruption in scottish football would have to be happening repeatedly around the country on a weekly/fortnightly/monthly basis.

 

If there was evidence of wrong doing, someone would find it at some point either in the past or future.

 

So just repeatedly making wild allegations, without producing any evidence to back it up, makes us seem like paranoid fools.

 

I have already noted about 3 times on this thread alone that Vlad has made serious mistakes. You are again falling into the "Anyone who agrees with anything Vlad has ever said is being a fool" camp. Very boring.

 

Vlad has made loads of mistakes. One of his successes however is standing up to the OF. Your refusal to acknowledge this just shows how unwilling you are to give credit where credit is due.

 

And I am sorry but there are hundreds of pieces of evidence. Problem is most are 'circumstantial'. Subtle little decisions given here. Subtle little decisions taken away there. It is obvious for anyone to see. As you say PROVING It would be very difficult. But knowing it goes on is not.

 

How about this one for a FACT.

 

Skacel getting booked for putting one toe over the line at Parkhead.

OF players jumping into the crowd on numerous occasions and getting nothing. That is a fact. No-one argues with it. It proves that the referees are 'corrupt' in some sense of the word. Whether that is bias or money changing hands I do not know. I would not be surprised with either.

[Drylaw Hearts]

I have already noted about 3 times on this thread alone that Vlad has made serious mistakes. You are again falling into the "Anyone who agrees with anything Vlad has ever said is being a fool" camp. Very boring.

 

Vlad has made loads of mistakes. One of his successes however is standing up to the OF. Your refusal to acknowledge this just shows how unwilling you are to give credit where credit is due.

 

And I am sorry but there are hundreds of pieces of evidence. Problem is most are 'circumstantial'. Subtle little decisions given here. Subtle little decisions taken away there. It is obvious for anyone to see. As you say PROVING It would be very difficult. But knowing it goes on is not.

 

How about this one for a FACT.

 

Skacel getting booked for putting one toe over the line at Parkhead.

OF players jumping into the crowd on numerous occasions and getting nothing. That is a fact. No-one argues with it. It proves that the referees are 'corrupt' in some sense of the word. Whether that is bias or money changing hands I do not know. I would not be surprised with either.

 

 

In what way has he been successful ?

[jambojim52]

Let me start by saying that Roman Romanov was not in-correct in what he said with regards corruption in the Scottish game. Where he was in-correct was to say it at the shareholders AGM. That meeting was not the time or the place.

 

Hearts are currently seventh in the SPL as the team have not been good enough on the park over thirty three league games to have won enough points to be challenging for anything.

 

 

 

 

 

John

 

 

Admit it you were in Diggers on Sat and overheard my saying the exact same thing.

[Guest JamboRobbo]

I have already noted about 3 times on this thread alone that Vlad has made serious mistakes. You are again falling into the "Anyone who agrees with anything Vlad has ever said is being a fool" camp. Very boring.

 

Reap what you sow.

 

Vlad has made loads of mistakes. One of his successes however is standing up to the OF. Your refusal to acknowledge this just shows how unwilling you are to give credit where credit is due.

 

I'll happily give credit where it's due. It's my opinion, that he's not due credit for this. If he'd produced evidence, or even a coherent case of some sort, yes, I'd give him credit.

 

And no, coming out and claiming we were cheated by the corrupt SFA refs every time we lose, is not a coherent case.

 

And I am sorry but there are hundreds of pieces of evidence.

 

Feel free to produce some of these hundreds of pieces of evidence.

 

Problem is most are 'circumstantial'. Subtle little decisions given here. Subtle little decisions taken away there. It is obvious for anyone to see. As you say PROVING It would be very difficult. But knowing it goes on is not.

 

How about this one for a FACT.

 

Skacel getting booked for putting one toe over the line at Parkhead.

 

Or maybe he got booked for turning to the Celtic fans, running all the way up the line, and putting his finger to his mouth in a "shh" motion towards them.

 

I'd disagree that what you say is "FACT". It's opinion. Nothing more, nothing less.

 

OF players jumping into the crowd on numerous occasions and getting nothing. That is a fact. No-one argues with it. It proves that the referees are 'corrupt' in some sense of the word. Whether that is bias or money changing hands I do not know. I would not be surprised with either.

 

So you've never seen a Hearts player go to the crowd and get away with it?

[Guest JamboRobbo]

Skacel putting a foot over the line at Parkhead and being booked.Cannot EVER recall a Celtic player being booked against us for that.

 

Same season but Tynie fixture,blatant dive by the midget and we get a man sent off.

 

And how about HMFC getting a penalty for Hartley pushing some hobo's hand onto the ball? Or Robbie being allowed to use his hands to stop Rangers equalising against us?