Mark Clattenburg hasn’t come across terribly well this week, between his justification of sending Darren Fletcher off to failing to understand the offside rule.
Today, Darren Fletcher has revealed that Clattenburg, the referee who once sent someone off because Steven Gerrard told him to, told our midfielder it was ‘a man’s game’ when he complained about being fouled. So why did Fletch get booked for an innocuous and unintentional challenge?
“Saturday was disappointing because I was constantly being fouled and when I said something the ref said to me ‘it’s a man’s game’,” said Fletcher. “So I went in hard and he books me. Then he booked me again for nothing really.”
Graham Poll said this week that if Fletcher had been nicer to the referee, buttered him up like Tim Cahill does, then he wouldn’t have received the second yellow.
Fletch wonders whether Arsene Wenger’s comments on the back of our 2-1 win over Arsenal may have influenced the referee. Whilst the Arsenal boss didn’t mention Darren by name, he accused our players of employing “anti-football” tactics.
“You have to trust the referees that they are not going to take notice of what people say or write,” Fletch continued. “They have to judge each game and referee it fairly and that is all I can ask. I am not a dirty player by any stretch of the imagination. I go in for the ball and sometimes I might mistime it and make a foul. But I am not a dirty player. I don’t know whether all this goes back to the Wenger comments. He said what he said and all I can hope for is that referees are going to be fair and they usually are to be honest.”
He will now miss this weekend’s home game against Burnley and whilst happy that United will have the players to replace him, does worry about his future place in the team.
“You don’t want to miss games for any reason and to miss one for suspension disrupts things for me,” he added. “We have enough midfielders so I am sure someone will come in and do a good job. But someone coming in and doing well could mean I can’t get back into the side and that is the risk. But I cannot afford to think of that when I play. I play every game for the moment and I don’t look too far forward.”
Man Utd News 24/7
It’s really bollocks, really. If ref’s were being consistently being inconsistent with decisions; i wouldnt mind. I do however feel somewhat (rightly) aggrieved that ref’s seem to have be especially consistent in dishing out harsher decisions agst us; thats what pisses me off to no end!
Oh, on another note: Graham Poll is a has-been ref who has zilch credibility and doesnt even deserve to shine my left nut. Nuff said =)
Great quotes by Fletcher, got to love him.
Clattenburg is a fucking tit with a silly hair transplant. He is one of the most anti-United refs and his performance in the Merseyside derby a couple of years ago was the most corrupt showing I’ve ever seen from a ref, in any game, anywhere in the world.
Let’s not forget he had travelled with the Liverpool squad on their pre-season tour of Asia that summer. During the game he…
- allowed a knee-high two-footed challenge by Kuyt on Neville
- gave Liverpool a penalty for a challenge by Hibbert on Gerrard that was outside the area
- sent Hibbert off on Gerrard’s advice, after initially reaching for a yellow card only
- denied Everton a penalty in the last minute when Carragher blatantly wrestled Lescott to the ground from behind.
R3, you are right about Poll. Every week he uses his Daily Mail column to defend another shocking piece of officiating from the Premier League’s band of bumbling refs. They all come across as a bunch of arrogant twerps to me.
Its time we made Fletcher captain
He along with Evra are our best performers
And Fergie needs to give Owen a run in the team
I’m fed up of the player who I used to love and support, Berbatov taking a place in the team yet not scoring or assisting. It’s January and he has hardly scored any goals
@Big Bad Wesley Brown
Poll does not have a leg to stand on
The man is a disgrace…always bashing Fergie and Man Utd
These refs are scared of giving us penalties now. What a shambles
I didn’t think it’s a booking but then I don’t think a lot of bookings are actual bookings – if that makes any sense!
Fletch lad!
I honestly feel he was victim of his attitude towards the Ref during the Match. During the match he had several goes at the ref regarding decisions not going in Uniteds way. Every player does have the right to question but I feel he wound up the ref and got right under his skin!
The Trip was a foul yes no certain about that as there was contact, more that the player won the free kick rather than being hacked down! With regards to a booking it could have went either way and the relationship for me Fletch had with the Ref during the game swayed that decision!
Decisions like this go either way, some are yellows some are not!
the sending off was a complete joke, if that’s the standard set for a red card every team would have about 3 sendings off per game.
you just wish he would hold his hands up and say he made a mistake but he’s so arrogant there’s no chance off it.
fuck the fa!
Trevor,
You summed it up pretty well.
Fergie said it best. “We carry on!”
I hope the others don’t complain when our luck changes and we seem to be getting all the decisions or they stop getting them.
Sayyid, you’re right. Don’t forget that before the FA Cup semi-final against Everton last season there was huge media scrutiny of Mike Riley, after some journalist brought up all the penalties he had given us over the years and suggested that he was a United fan.
Lo and behold, during the match Danny Welbeck is tripped in the area but Riley says “no foul,” undoubtedly influenced by the outcry there would have been if he’d given us another penalty.
By the way I agree with Trevor. Fletch moans at refs a bit much for my liking.
hi guys a bit of topic Scott, but that Hicks jr is suddenly one of my favorite people a head of the FSW at the dippers…”BLOW ME” what a classic!
Yes I agree, Fletcher and Evra are captain material.
I’ve never liked Clattenburg. He is the kind of ref who wants to prove he is strong enough against the giant Manchester United and Ferguson and therefor he doesn’t always take the best decisions. “It’s a man’s game”, what an idiot. Fletcher’s second foul was really really soft. He should have let him go with a warning, talk to Fletch and tell him that’s his last foul of the game or else he’s off. But no, the “strong and mighty” Clattenburg sends him off without even blinking or taking any time to think matters through. It was like he had decided if Fletcher was going to make one more foul he would be off, not matter what the foul would be like! I just hope Fergie escapes without FA doing something regarding his comments after the match.
Answering and trying to defend his decisions says it all. If Clattenburg was so sure about his decisions he wouldn’t do so.
Can’t believe ppl are saying that Fletch was rightly sent off because he complained about being kicked. He wasn’t sent off for his dissent. The ref clearly did shit
Fletch does have the most agonizing facial expressions though…he always looks like he is about to cry. He needs to channel that energy like Ronaldo used to do and act surprised all the time, then he can go on fouling as much as he wants:)
@ KingAbdullah
What im saying is that the way Fletch conducted himself during the match and the Way he Byrated the Ref on numberous occasions you could see the ref was getting pissed off at him.
For me the First Card you cant argue about.
The Second was clearly a foul, the debate is if it was a card. Some you see given some you dont. All these decisions are down the the Refs Discression and in this instance he had enough of Fletch bending his ear and getting on his back he gave him the card!
With regards to treatment of Refs i dont like the way some players treat them on the pitch. The hounding after decisions, like in that match for the OWn Goal where 3 or 4 players were round him shouting in his ear whilst he was talking to the linesman.. Chirst something has to give!…..
Maybe the only way it would stop is if only the Captain or Assistant could speak to the ref.
On another note i do think Clattemberg and the way he conducted himself reminded me of Jeff Winter. Specialy as he was a pompous Prick too!
Look at a re-run of the Brum game. Note the number of bad fouls/challenges/tackles – call them what you like – by Bowyer, Ferguson, Larsson and especially that little dumpy Irish tw@t, Carr! Absolutely corrupt refereeing that Fletch got sent off.
I agree SAF should take a fine/ban on the chin and say what he really feels about these ABU refs.
@eddiec
rather than look at the fouls commited by the brumie players you cant argue that
1 it was a foul for fletches second card
2 The fact the foul broke up an attaking play results in a high chance of getting a yellow!
With regards to SAF taking a fine and coming out against the refs, im sorry. SAF needs to bite his lip and say nothing. His outburst in my opinion with regards to the lack of fitness did us no favours what so ever.
You cant constantly get on the wrong side of the refs and not have this effect their decisions!
Although they are supposed to be neutral they arnt!
Id rather have SAF, Fletch & every player on our books give 110% for the remainder of this season and When we finish with our 4th Premier League Title, 3rd Champions League Cup of Fergies Reign & League then address the short comings of the Refs at the end of the season!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBzKLxLAXlo
that was a little off topic but its always nice to hear
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on topic I think the second the ref said its not off side its an og(even thou it wasnt an offside) he got a rush of blood to his head and taught in for a penny in for a pound
im gonna make the newstomorrow so lets make it the main headline and Im gonna send off one of there best players
Is Roy Keane playing?No! ok Ill send off the next best thing
If Clattenburg did indeed tell him to stop complaining and it’s a man’s game and then immediately booked him for the next strong challenge – what a mofaking cnut.
Fletcher does need to learn though that if he’s got this reputation that is around him right now – then he needs to play the game and play nice. It’s not a utopian world and what is the right thing will be done. If the refs are itching for an excuse to book him then turn it around.
It’s a shame but, if he must adjust his demeanour on the pitch and interaction with the referees to get a fair shake, then do it. Not put head in the sand and hope one day they’ll just realize he is an honest player and stop treating him like dirty Terry-esque player. Even that twat gets away with stuff because of playing the stupid game to get on the good sides of refs like Clattenburg who want to be in the limelight and adored.
i think fletcher stuck his leg out no attempt to win the ball and got a yellow card for it, it wasnt harsh its just that refereees let players get away with this too often ,when they finally punish one he has a case to moan.
man! how small time we have become, get over it! I’ve seen many yellow cards for blatant fouls like that when the team has a chance to break..
arsene wenger
hi. i just read on the BBC Sol Campbell will be playing for your reserves this week before making a permanent move in jan. Your thoughts?
Just to take you guys mind off the Brum game, here’s Adebayor during an interview about the Togo shooting wearing an Arsenal polo tee:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v59/ryhoper1/56796903.jpg
Shows how small time Citeh is that their money grabbing merc don’t even care about them and the fans feelings.
aig i have split thoughts, they sign the cheapest option an still rise the season ticket prices banking more cash,same as when they bought silvestre, i like sol campbell, its a shame that he will end up as a player we dont want rather than one who we hoped would come back from the asylum half decent
give sol campbell six months, then johan djourou comes back plays two games an needs another six months in the childrens ward, its a vicious circle of covering injury prone players with old men temporarily,next season when djourou flops again we will probably try and sign that retard sami hypia
arsene wenger
lol
hurr – Priceless mate.
Talking of cunts who the fuck does Tiny Tears British Bulldog “I would love to join the troops and fight for Ingerlund” John Terry fucking think he is. According to him, him “Lamps and Drog” basically run the Rentboys! You couldn’t make it up. What does that say about the manager? Prick of the highest order.
And to think people wonder why United fans could not care less about our national team. With cunt’s like this captaining the side what do they expect?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/jan/11/john-terry-praises-chelsea-seniors
Graham Poll wants players to suck referee’s cock, the they will get the benefit. If not, most of the decision will go against them. Must start practicing giving blowjob guys….. A certain some1 also commented last time after his team defeat agaist us. “Fletcher is a dirty player”. Stupid muthafucking whining cunt. Maybe he should quit managing football, go take part in golf or ballet or whatever. Its a man’s game. Not for pussies. Of course there will be contacts everywhere. As if they never had Viera, Keown SOB etc. Dirty players are players who cheat, dive. Its normal for a player to challenge for possession. They are the warrior in stopping the flow of oppenents game…. Keane, Ince etc. For me right now, Fletch is the heir of that generation. Just waiting for Hargo to be back soon.
He is a victim of wenger’s comments
Campbell for Arsenal?
I think he will do a job filling in for them when they have injuries… I know his best days are past it but with the injuries we have had i would have loved him stepping into our central defence to cover when vidic and rio both have been out!
I wouldnt have been supprised if Fergie took him on the books for 6 months as backup. Win win situation, just pay minimal wages, Cover if needed, if not then tough!
I guess the majority of United Fans would be in Uproar but i really dont give a shit that he played for arsenal…..
Its amazing that people like Ballack, Fellaini and Cahill dont get sent off every other day, and Fletch seems to be in just about everyone’s and book.
i love u fletch he is really a kid wit no leg to stand on
If fletcher wants to blame wenger every time he gets booked or sent off he’d do well to remember wenger never mentioned his name.
fletcher is the only one who proposed himself as the target of wenger’s claim, and time and again he brings it up, reminding the refs over and over, keeping it fresh that when someone is ‘just on the pitch to make fouls’, that’s how fletcher views himself.
he’d do well to leave the episode behind, but no…
i know footballers aren’t the smartest people, but jesus.
Our players and manager complain too much, It’s so annoying… (yes yes I know I’m complaining!)
Asshat
Who did he mean if not Fletcher? Just because his name was not mentioned it was heavily implied. There were only 11 united players on the pitch, it was hardly the goalkeeper doing those fouls and while the battle was mainly in midfield, not the wingers either. Stop being an asshat.
brett1985
what im getting at is that nobody else keeps bringing this up, nor did they attach definitively wenger’s comments to fletcher.
He seems to single-handedly be keeping this running, and if he had any brains would shut up about it, not keep it fresh in the ref’s mind.
Just look at this article! It’s keeping everyone talking about it, which is idiotic for him to be perpetuating.
Surely it is beneficial for him to point to this unfairness as referees acted differently towards him since the Wenger comments. He kept quiet and was punished so how can you advocate that he remain silent? Honestly, if a ref told me it’s mans game, quite a derogatory comment, then proceeded to send me off for an innocuous foul- I’d be straight to the newspapers.
All told Clattenburg should be demoted for these kind of antics. He constantly orchestrates results through his terrible officiating which go against united.
Poll is the same fuckface who gave one player THREE yellow cards at a World Cup, so nobody should take this publicity-seeking twat seriously.
Poll, Ellery,Clattenburg,Webb; they’re all cut from the same cloth,the ABU bastards.
The clown gave 3 fucking yellow cards in a WORLD CUP game to the same player and he still gets a column!?
Clearly his columns should be printed in the ‘comedy’ section.