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HONEST: Ref Bennett on Saturday
Boot in the teeth for all supporters
STEVE BENNETT is no bar-room fantasist. No football phoney who passes on idle tittle-tattle because he knows a bloke who knows a bloke.
Integrity has been his byword in a refereeing career that has spanned a quarter of a decade.
Which is why Bennett MUST be taken seriously when he paints a picture of multi-millionaire prima donnas not giving a toss about the passion that consumes the lives of so many.
When David Beckham deliberately charged into Ben Thatcher in October 2004, he claimed he was doing it for the most noble of reasons . . . for Queen and country.
The booking meant he was suspended for the subsequent match in Azerbaijan. But he knew he would be missing the game through injury and the yellow card meant his slate was wiped clean, leaving him free for more important international duty.
But still, there was a rebuke from Sepp Blatter and calls for him to resign the England captaincy. Beckham was forced into a grovelling apology. But many of us understood his logic.
Sacrifices
What is beyond comprehension, beyond the pale, is the idea that a £100,000-a-week Premier League footballer would get himself punished on purpose because he wanted, for example, to see Santa with his kids . . . or because he didn't fancy a trip to some far-flung ground.
The very thought of it is a kick in the teeth of every working man and family who make sacrifices-cut back on those Christmas presents perhaps-so that they can shell out for the 60 quid ticket that stuffs the pockets of obscenely rich young men.
From time to time, we all question certain players' commitment to the cause. We all reckon we know the ones who don't really care.
But we would never believe they would let their team and fans down just so they can have a holiday. Or a rest to count their millions.
But Bennett gives specific instances of players asking to be booked . . . before a ball has been kicked. And that exposes the total disregard so many players have for those who pay their fantastic wages.
As one of those lovers of the game, I hope Bennett is wrong. But the authorities have a duty to every single supporter to find out if he is.
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This article has 14 comments
"You'll never walk alone" is in fact a song called "Ferry 'cross the Mersey" - a pop song. I like it as a pop song. I croon it to myself on occasion - but I don't support Liverpool. Sometimes. due to my complete lack of taste, I warble "Blue is the colour" (if you remember that one), but I don't support Chelsea either.
By francis.. Posted February 10 2009 at 10:26 AM.
As a decent level referee from an other country I don't doubt for one second that Steve Bennett is 'wrong' or making it up!!!
As for the comment about Howard Webb & Mike Dean being allowed to referee Liverpool in the future that is one of the stupidest things I've heard. Neither of those two would risk their carers and jobs by cheating!!! As a Man U supporter, I'd have Mike Dean any day against Liverpool, maybe not Howard Webb purely because I don't rate him!
The concern I and probably a lot of other referee's have is that Steve Bennett is likely to get into trouble for what he said. I don't think ANYONE, players or Bennett should be punished by the FA for this. If players are found to be doing this it is up to their manager/club to sort it out. Don't play them or pay them etc!!
By Campbell.. Posted February 10 2009 at 1:10 AM.
Exactly Richie! Webb and Dean are Liverpool fans and most of the Match of the day Panel are ex-Liverpool players! They should not be allowed to referee Liverpool games, or anyone elses games where a result would benefit Liverpool.
By Patrick.. Posted February 9 2009 at 6:09 PM.
I think its an absolute disgrace!
How dare these footballers, who earn hundreds of thousands of pounds a year from people who go and see them week in week out! These players need to be named and shamed, then fined a few months wages.
I spend about £1000 a season supporting my club (Liverpool) some of that on shirts, some of it on tickets some of it just going the pub to watch or tv subscriptions. I'm finding it dificult at the moment to afford it, due to a reduction in work available. I am absolutely outraged that these idiots feel its okay to take my hard earned money and get themselves booked or sent off and weaken my team (I see it as my own team, I've invested a lifetime of support in it).
It is absolutely indefenceable and if anyone in the league knows of this happening then they should bring it to public attention and the attention of the FA. These players deserved to be banned for life and fined a years wage!
By Richie.. Posted February 9 2009 at 3:17 AM.
I think that Howard Webb and Mike Dean should be scrutinized for singing "you'll never walk alone", should they be allowed to ref a Liverpool game in future?
By mike.. Posted February 8 2009 at 4:20 PM.
In response to Stu saying these players are only human seems to forget that football is not a job in the conventional sense, tens if not hundreds of thousands pay a few quid a week for the privilage of playing on dire pitches with crap facilities in local sunday football leagues (and being gutted when its called off) as well as doing a weeks work for a fraction of the wages these guys get. Simply put, do not compare these guys to the real world, most of them have never lived in it.
By Jay.. Posted February 8 2009 at 4:34 PM.
About time the fans were informed of what realy
goes on in football now the facts are coming out
watch those shares noesdive.Ron.
By Ron.. Posted February 8 2009 at 5:01 PM.
I think he is stating the blinking obvious
By Terry.. Posted February 8 2009 at 2:09 PM.
The biggest outrage here is Steve Bennett being labelled a "top ref".
By Merse-10.. Posted February 8 2009 at 12:39 PM.
"As one of those lovers of the game, I hope Bennett is wrong."
Haha, Andy. You think he could possibly be making it up?
I thought this was all common knowledge?
By Billy B.. Posted February 8 2009 at 10:27 AM.
I used to get the hump about prima donna players and their wages. Easy solution, I just didnt renew my season ticket. You dont miss it for long
By Stu.. Posted February 8 2009 at 10:05 AM.
these players are human.. who hasn't called in sick when they really weren't? Anyone who takes some kind of moral high ground on this is definitely a hypocrite.
By Chris G.. Posted February 8 2009 at 10:10 AM.
spare us the moral outrage Andy. This sort of thing is hardly new - players have always got themselves booked when it suited them.
By matt.. Posted February 8 2009 at 8:23 AM.
Oh and there's me thinking he just hates our players......I still think he does!!!!
By Sue.. Posted February 8 2009 at 7:53 AM.