Sunday, November 28, 2010

Referee Crisis: Nothing New

Interesting chat on Twitter tonight about bringing in foreign referees for Old Firm games. I say "no". Although I can see the benefit of a formal exchange programme covering all SPL games a few times a season.*

Anyway, seems this is nothing new. Expecting a "passionate" Old Firm encounter the SFA shipped in an Englishman to officiate a game in 1905.

Scotland on Sunday has the full story:

"Scottish league football is not new to foreign referees. Indeed the Scottish League and the SFA first used one more than a century ago.

"While researching a book on classic Old Firm matches I came across the strange story of Fred Kirkham, the Englishman imported to referee a potentially explosive match between Celtic and Rangers."

The match was actually a play off for the championship - the only time it has ever been decided that way. Celtic won 2-1.

So not even this week of madness is particularly original. A century of progress.

* Cheers @terracepodcast @scotzine @thefootyblognet

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