Aberdeen Cowden, on Nov 6 2007, 10:44, said:
Marvyn cannot run/jump like he used to - every time he challenges in the air, if he doesn't get the ball he gets the player. Not so easy for a referee to spot but the players know fine what is going on.
Re the incident with Howat - what caused the problem wasn't so much the butt (that was bad enough) but Marvyn's reaction afterwards - he could have ended the guy's career but couldn't stop smiling. Not a sending off offence but is this in the spirit of the game?
As for post-match incidents - don't suppose we will ever discover what really happened and if anyone was assaulted then this isn't right. However, having witnessed the incident on the park, which most of the Rover's fans wouldn't have done! it is understanable that the Cowden management team would have been upset - it was right in front of them.
How would the Rovers supporters feel if one of their players was crocked - the culprit stayed on the park and turned round and smiled at them - I'm sure they would have all applauded! Aye right.
He's taking out players but in ways that a ref can't see?
I'm not meaning to be funny here, or to get involved in any of the daft bickering but that's a pretty odd thing to say.
He mistimes some challenges, like every defender, and given the enthusiasm with which he goes into every challenge he has been known to clatter people on occasion, I don't deny that. It's pretty rare though.
[This doesn't prove anything in itself I know, but I'd point out that he's been booked once this season and three times in the whole of last season. It's stretching things a bit to claim he's taking players out all the time as you imply and that all of them are being missed by referees.]