Levein fined for McCurry comments

[Boab 73]

05 August 2008

Craig Levein was today fined £5000 by the SFA's General Purposes Committee for comments made about referee Mike McCurry after the match at Ibrox last May. The Manager was not given any form of a ban.

The Manager is yet to decide if he will appeal against the punishment and will speak to Chairman Eddie Thompson and his legal advisor before taking any decision.

During the game, Noel Hunt was denied a blatant penalty after being fouled by David Weir and then Danny Swanson had a goal disallowed for offside after his strike deflected off Weir - and not a United player - and into the net. Referee McCurry subsequently admitted he had made mistakes in both incidents in his report on the Scottish FA's website.

Speaking after his appearance today, the Manager said,"I said what I honestly felt at the time. It was a poor performance and I'm still angry about it.

"I wasn't going to go in and apologise for anything I said."

August 2008

http://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/index.asp?...=2008&cd1=8

Dundee United manager Craig Levein has been fined £5000 for his public criticism of referee Mike McCurry.

Levein said McCurry had "bottled" major decisions following United's 3-1 defeat against Rangers at Ibrox on 10 May.

He was angry at not being awarded a penalty and seeing a 'goal' ruled offside after a long-range shot had deflected in off a defender.

McCurry subsequently admitted he had made mistakes in both incidents in his report on the Scottish FA's website.

Levein is yet to decide if he will appeal against the punishment but was not in apologetic mood.

"I said what I honestly felt at the time," he said. "It was a poor performance and I'm still angry about it.

"I wasn't going to go in and apologise for anything I said."

However, Levein did give his backing for referees in their quest for a pay rise, saying that he believed referees should be full-time.

United striker Noel Hunt was denied a penalty after being felled by David Weir in the penalty area during the match against Rangers.

And Danny Swanson then had a goal chopped off for offside after his strike deflected off the same Rangers defender into the net.

After the match, Levein spoke to BBC Scotland and voiced his frustration at McCurry's performance, saying the defeat had ended United's hopes of clinching a Uefa Cup place.

"We had a blatant penalty and he bottled it," he said.

"If it's not a level playing field and, if we don't get the decisions, blatant, important decisions then what is the point of turning up?"

"I thought Mike McCurry had the balls to stand up and give these decisions," Levein said.

"We get a perfectly good goal chalked off and a blatant penalty, with not even a decision to make, and it should've been a sending off."

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith hit out at Levein's comments, but United director Derek Robertson later said McCurry's performance reinforced the view that referees are biased towards the Old Firm.

The debate was provoked further when SFA president George Peat described Levein's accusations against McCurry as "criminal" and United responded by saying they would seek legal advice over what they perceived to be prejudicial comments.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...utd/7543710.stm

[GRFC147 0]

Mentioned earlier in the other thread

Levein has just been fined 5000 quid for criticizing the ref during our game could they not split that amongst them for a start

In the end all of this crap shows up the Scottish game for what it is, a fucking joke !

[SuperRangers 2]

Justice prevails

Should have been more though feckin greetin faced bastard.

[BLUEDIGNITY 33,647]

Levein is a bitter tarry he pulled out of Hearts game against Dundee feigning illness in the last game of the season when celtic won the league against st mirren who lay down to them ! Wee Alex McDonald hates the cunt !