WHO DO YOU THINK IS THE WORST REFEREE IN BRITAIN ?

[Jeff Thomas]

I swear, I have no problem with Mcallister, he's actually a really nice kid but that ref disgusts me. He's bent- plain and simple. He is on the take somewhere along the line. I'm still waiting for my video of our fight several years later. I felt I beat Hardcastle and many thought I beat Carey too. And I was unfortunate to only draw with an in form Carl Allen. Pisses me off sometimes. You take those 4 fights where I was unfortunate and I'm 13-3 and not written off before I even got started.

If I had of being unbeaten still I wouldn't have took the Burns and Murray fights on short notice either. 2 days after being out of the gym for 2-3 weeks. And I give both of them an ok fight. Rocked Murray a little and despite shitty scottish scoring pushed Ricky a little early on.

Thats a bit harsh on the ref isint it. You go into someone elses back yard, your not exactly a banger are you? You lose a decision. It happens all the time. Fighting a popular boy in his back garden, surely you know you've got to stop him.

Please tell me your being sarcastic

[McCannW14]

I swear, I have no problem with Mcallister, he's actually a really nice kid but that ref disgusts me. He's bent- plain and simple. He is on the take somewhere along the line. I'm still waiting for my video of our fight several years later. I felt I beat Hardcastle and many thought I beat Carey too. And I was unfortunate to only draw with an in form Carl Allen. Pisses me off sometimes. You take those 4 fights where I was unfortunate and I'm 13-3 and not written off before I even got started.

If I had of being unbeaten still I wouldn't have took the Burns and Murray fights on short notice either. 2 days after being out of the gym for 2-3 weeks. And I give both of them an ok fight. Rocked Murray a little and despite shitty scottish scoring pushed Ricky a little early on.

Thats a bit harsh on the ref isint it. You go into someone elses back yard, your not exactly a banger are you? You lose a decision. It happens all the time. Fighting a popular boy in his back garden, surely you know you've got to stop him.

Please tell me your being sarcastic

Sorry I'm not. You lost a few decisions, you were on away turf, you werent the home fighter, not the ticket seller. Even if half of the rounds were close your gonna have a hard time getting the nod. Thats life it happens, theres no need to make libelous comments about the ref on here.

[alexpaterson]

Richie Davies is the best British Referee imo. Dave Parris isnt great sometimes and neither is O'Conner. Apart from the occassional off night Britian has some very good ref's imo

[jonny]

Talking of referees what happened to Lee Cook

[Jeff Thomas]

Thats a bit harsh on the ref isint it. You go into someone elses back yard, your not exactly a banger are you? You lose a decision. It happens all the time. Fighting a popular boy in his back garden, surely you know you've got to stop him

Sorry I'm not. You lost a few decisions, you were on away turf, you werent the home fighter, not the ticket seller. Even if half of the rounds were close your gonna have a hard time getting the nod. Thats life it happens, theres no need to make libelous comments about the ref on here.

...

[Jeff Thomas]

And whats with all this libelous bollocks. It seems every other thread has threats of legal action- are we in america or something. Its my opinion. I have a right to an opinion just like you.

[jamesmcdonnell]

On a serious note - I think its a very sad day when Refs in this country get the stick like they do on this website.

We have the best Refs in the world in my view by a country mile - yep they make mistakes but dont we all - but for some to get the abuse they do on here is totally and utterly uncalled for.

You also must understand Spud that with a 100 year waiting list (source: Steve Holdsworth) for people to become licesnsed referees. We don't need the likes of Terry O'Connor fouling up again and again - who knows if he is bent or just plain incompetent. But lets start training up more referees so their arses are on the line every time they make a bad mistake. (or in O'Connors case - mistake after mistake) Being a BBB of C referee does not have to be a closed shop. Especially when some of the present refs are bringing the 'sport' into disrepute.

One of the other problems we have in this country - is that you cannot be a judge unless you are already qualified as a referee - I don't know why that needs to be the case still.

[watson748]

It's very east to criticise a referee without having the necessary training and knowledge that is needed to be a ref.

Thousands/millions even of people give football refs crap each week only to see that they they were actually right on MOTD.

It takes balls to be a ref trust me.

Out of interest, as with all sports fans, how many people on here can honestly say they know the rules and the correct interpretation of the rules of Boxing, and Football for that matter and if you are honest and say no, then next time you criticise remember that that person you are slagging and calling crooked is well read and up to speed with the sport they are officiating in.

Who on here really knows the offside rule or other rules for that matter?

Remember, without refs there would be chaos and carnage in sport- remember that.

Okay, so many, myself included, thought TOC got McDermott/Fury wrong and Poll fucked up at the last world cup but human error is a part of life. No one died did they?

They didn't just find themselves in the position they were in, they worked bloody hard to get there and passed the tests required. TOC and Poll for that matter (Both who I know well) as all officials are are usually the first to admit when they screw up or have a howler. They really don't need to be told because it's what they do, they know.

Can anyone on here honestly say they've never made an honest mistake in their jobs?

As they saying goes, if you could do better do it yourself, have a go then you might realise what it takes and have more respect for the man in the middle.

It's a thankless task.

Doesn't mean to say we haven't the right to criticise them. If we took your point further we may as well not have government elections because nobody knows anything about running a country. These refs are only there to watch over a form of entertainment that we demand and if it wasn't for us they would not be there, not the other way around. They are expendable and can do the sport real damage if they continually piss the majority of the viewing public off with bad decisions. I take your point that a ref may be following a rule that is unknown to many people and therefore seems either wrong or harsh but if the enlightened commentors (lol) don't understand whats going on either and are unable to translate then its irrelevant as the viewers just see an injustice. The sport is then harmed and people are put off. Perhaps boxing should go down the route of rugby and mike the refs so that we all know what the violation is or clarify the rules a bit better to make it less grey. I mean how many warning does a fighter have to get etc etc?

My friend is a casual viewer of boxing and in the few fights he has seen on tv (on his own, ie without any prejudice from me) he is stunned that O'Connor and Parris are still gainfully employed. Whether he has taken his lead from the SKY commentary team he hasn't said but he has said that he now switches over if theres a fight on and one of them is officiating in some capacity.

So basically like a political decision you can be right on paper but if the masses don't get it then your days are numbered.

[xXHAMMERXx]

Marcus Mcdonnell is also another very good ref

[rf]

Marcus Mcdonnell is also another very good ref

As are Phil Edwards and Victor Loughlin

[Coco]

Talking of referees what happened to Lee Cook

He was a really good ref, prob why he never made it above Class B!
There was an article about him in BN a few years back, I think he got ill or something

[hurlock]

howard foster is the best, as he's authoritive & act's on his instinct's, rather then what his employer would prefer unlike marcus mcdonnell who moves round like a matador but turns too a mouse with decision making.

richie davies is a good ref, who's remained to do well whilst struggling with illness & losses & has the savvy to do his job well.

infact these are the only two refs i respect, there's hopefully some decent b refs coming through that i aint seen.

[boxfan3]

howard foster is the best, as he's authoritive & act's on his instinct's, rather then what his employer would prefer unlike marcus mcdonnell who moves round like a matador but turns too a mouse with decision making.

richie davies is a good ref, who's remained to do well whilst struggling with illness & losses & has the savvy to do his job well.

infact these are the only two refs i respect, there's hopefully some decent b refs coming through that i aint seen.

Hurlock are you Howard Foster under another name, looking back at your posts you slag of every refereee but Howard Foster. I agree Howard is a good ref, but so are a lot of the other British referee's, I imagine its a hard job being a referee and they will never please everyone, instead of slagging them of, why don't you apply to the BBBC and become one, then you will be quilfied to voice your opinion.

[DavidPayne]

Jeff Hinds. Smashing fella I'm sure but I often feel he doesn't have the respect of the fighters. He lacks authority.

[yogi]

marcus mcdonnell who moves round like a matador

Nobody moves quite like Micky Vann, he should be on the next Strictly Come Dancing.

[hurlock]

in response to boxfan, i only rate foster & davies as top performer's that can handle top title fights simple.

keane can do a job as can mcdonnel & john lewis but they are jittery & incompetent at the top level.

bob williams was looking good on the way up but has quit i think.

we have produced decent ref's in my 2 & larry o'connel & roy francis who fans dont have to worry about nausing it up.

& yes i think i could do alot better then mcdonnel & lewis after a couple of seasons if that :!: but why would i waste my time in playing a second fiddle b-ref who wont get let through?
pro boxing in the country aint exactly thriving is it. the main man is struggling to get dates.

[Jeff Thomas]

I actually located Paul Graham on my facebook today- he was on my friends list ?!!! So I asked him about the McAllister fight, and he told me he scored as honestly as possible. I may actually ask him to allow me to put the conversation on here as it paints him in a good light.

He had seen the comments on here, no doubt someone had pointed him in their direction to try and cause an issue but took it in good sport and asked me what a pudendum was?

I'm really pleased he took the time to reply to me, and give me the closure the incident needed. I can cope with a poor decision- I cannot cope with dishonesty. Not sure if any readers will appreciate this too much but I thought it was worth a mention having given him both barrels earlier in the thread.

[jBacca]

I actually located Paul Graham on my facebook today- he was on my friends list ?!!! So I asked him about the McAllister fight, and he told me he scored as honestly as possible. I may actually ask him to allow me to put the conversation on here as it paints him in a good light.

He had seen the comments on here, no doubt someone had pointed him in their direction to try and cause an issue but took it in good sport and asked me what a pudendum was?

I'm really pleased he took the time to reply to me, and give me the closure the incident needed. I can cope with a poor decision- I cannot cope with dishonesty. Not sure if any readers will appreciate this too much but I thought it was worth a mention having given him both barrels earlier in the thread.

No, is good to hear.