Furious Levein demands action over referee blunders
Tangerines vow to lodge complaint over McCurry
Rangers 3 Dundee United 1
Published:
DUNDEE United are to lodge an official complaint about referee Mike McCurry’s handling of their 3-1 loss to Rangers.
The Tannadice side are also considering legal action for the money they will lose after losing out on the race for Europe.
Furious United manager Craig Levein hit out after the Tannadice club were denied a penalty and had a goal chalked off for offside.
Levein said: “We had a blatant penalty and he bottled it.
“It is not a level playing field if we don’t get the decisions, blatant, important decisions.
“What is the point of turning up?”
The defeat has hit United’s hopes of finishing third in the Scottish Premier League and clinching a UEFA Cup spot for next season.
“I thought Mike McCurry had the guts to stand up and give these decisions, but he bottled it,” Levein added.
“Not only was it a penalty kick, but also a sending off for Davie Weir. He didn’t want to do it because the game meant so much to Rangers.”
Levein’s strong words could lead to disciplinary action from the Scottish FA.
But United chief executive Stephen Thompson has promised to back his manager ‘all the way’.
Meanwhile, veteran Rangers defender Christian Dailly is well aware some players will be disappointed when manager Walter Smith names his team to face Zenit St Petersburg for Wednesday’s UEFA Cup final.
The 3-1 win over Dundee United was the last chance to impress Smith before he deliberates over his team selection for what will be one of the club’s biggest games in years.
Dailly said: “We are a team, we are a squad and we are all together.”
A double from Nacho Novo put Rangers in control before Mark De Vries pulled a goal back for United and Jean-Claude Darcheville came off the bench to seal the win.
Readers' Comments
Well done Craig Levein for having the courage to speak up like he did. I wish other managers and directors would follow suit. This has been going on for years and enough is enough. It's about time decent fans stood up to this "Glasgow Mafia" that is the Old Firm and SFA. The total disrespect and disregard they have for other SPL teams and their long suffering fans is criminal. We need a new league minus the Old Firm. Let them and the SFA play with themselves. Better still let them pollute England with their filth. We are a laughing stock.
Peter Kidd
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