Craig Thomson

[Darren]

[scottmcleanscontacts]

Keeper handling the ball was a tight call but I think a red was correct. McHugh was fortunate not to get a straight red. Last one ref was conned by a dive. 

It was never a dive. Not convinced it was a foul either but the way his legs go suggest it's not a dive, especially as he seemed to attempt to kick the ball and basically make a c**t of it.

[scottmcleanscontacts]

I am sure if St Johnstone or any other team had the same decisions made against them as we did on Saturday the reaction would be exactly the same. In fact worse if it were Rangers or Celtic - but Thompson would probably not send anyone off let alone 3.
Very few Well fans are saying the only reason we lost was because of the referee, but he was chronic. Several of his decisions were poor leaving aside the red cards. 
I was at the game and actually felt we were the better side for the most part and up until the 1st red card. Yes St J were more clinical and in MOH have a very decent player. But most of the game in the 1st half took place far away from the away end. Yes we were powderpuff but I was fairly convinced we could get something from the game as the 2nd half started. 
For a ref to give a red card he needs to be 100% or near as dammit that the offence merits one. We have debated all 3 this weekend and everyone pretty much agrees the McHugh challenge was a 2nd yellow and probably merited. But the 3rd was a joke and even the 1st - was it denying a clear goal scoring opportunity - I don't think so. 
Referees have off days much like players and managers do. We also have refs who most teams see is on their game on a Saturday and grumble before a ball is kicked. Beaton and especially Thompson fall into that category for Motherwell. Conversely every time I see Steve McLean I know we have a good chance as his record for us is actually very good in terms of results. 
We will likely appeal the 1st and 3rd red card and I suspect we will not get let off for both. If it was Scott Brown however then yes we would....
 

I always have the fear when McLean is in charge of our games. Funnily enough Killie fans think the same, even though his Dad played about 500 games for them.

Clancy is another who seems to be 'against' Saints but on the face of it he's probably just pretty shite.

With Collum I've neber failed to be baffled. Seen him give madcap decisions for and against us.

[Dee Man]

20 hours ago, The Real Saints said:

It's laughable to suggest that referees 'have it in' for any of us. We're all utter irrelevances. The officials make dreadful decisions against every team because the standard of refereeing in this country is not very good. It's as simple as that.

Of course, the exception to this rule is when we play against the Old Firm and referees are scared that they might receive a bomb through their letter box.

This is what makes the Rangers statement all the funnier. The one time they get what they consider to be a wrong decision against them and they go apeshit. There have been referees in the past who have admitted that they have felt pressured into giving decisions to either cheek due to the crowd so there is no doubt that they have had far more favourable decisions than dodgy ones against them.

7 hours ago, velo army said:

Strange thread. Motherwell gave their fans plenty to be worried about at the weekend. It's going to be a long old season for them. The three reds were the only possible decisions he could make (except for the straight red he could have given to McHugh, but that's a non-issue).

There's this strange idea that referees in Scotland are uniquely bad. This is parochial and has little basis in reality. Plenty of Italian fans had unflattering views of Colina, and Kim Milton Nielsen wasn't that popular in Denmark. It's part of the narrative and psychodrama of being a fitba fan. Referees are often convenient scapegoats for our teams' defeats. They do a hard job and I admire the hell out of them for it (after work on a Tuesday who the hell feels like driving up to Dingwall to get shouted at for an hour and a half?). Our refs are no better or worse than those in other leagues, probably. 

Masochistic, arrogant arseholes?

I'd like to think I'm neither of those things but I'd still do it for £850.

[MJC]

I seriously doubt that any match official had it in for Motherwell or any side and if they did then I also seriously doubt that they'd make it so obvious by deliberately giving wrong decisions against that club.

Craig Thomson, like all Scottish referees, is just a poor referee and fussy and inconsistent like most of them as well.

To suggest that a particular referee has it in for a particular club or favours a particular club based solely on the fact that he had a bad game and game some poor decisions is frankly just school playground nonsense.

[Ira Gaines]

For once I agree with you. Incompetence is about the one thing I'd accuse a referee of.

[Acastus]

19 hours ago, topsider said:

Quite simply an impossible job.

Until the games is reffed by robots (or aided by video technology), there will always be mistakes

Poor robots getting dragged into all this. 

[ropy]

4 hours ago, Darren said:

Is that Bannockburn?  He doesn't live here does he?

[ropy]

9 hours ago, RandomGuy. said:

 

Im not saying it is, I'm saying there's Motherwell fans who seem determined to blame the result on the ref.

 

I don't see many Motherwell fans saying that.  Our chances were reduced by the decisions though.

[ropy]

7 hours ago, Suspect Device said:

OK, we all know which refs are the worst, but which one is the best.

I'd bet very few of you would be able to come up with a name (I know I can't) simply because the best referees are the ones you never notice.

No big mistakes and no primadonna attitude = good referee.

 

Wullie Young