PETER White and I long since gave up on trying to achieve consensus on the vexed question of referees.

Even over the most convivial of San Miguels on the Costa Del Sol, I was unable to convince him that Premiership officials did not have three sixes surreptitiously tattooed about their persons.

I therefore normally dismiss his weekly rantings as beneficial therapy for an otherwise excellent journalist.

However last week's offering has, I must confess, provoked me to respond.

A week last Saturday saw the eighth dismissal of a Rovers player in a season only just over half completed.

One can always have sympathy for a player sent off for two marginally mistimed challenges. From memory however most of Rovers' expulsions have been for players seeking their own retribution following a supposed antagonistic act by either opponent or official.

Scanning Monday's column inches however, I saw no questions raised as to the professionalism of the players, merely another character assassination of yet another referee.

I fully realise that Peter needs to keep the players sweet in order to provide his employers with the interviews and inside news that the fans demand. But surely not even the most paranoid of players would mind a bit of objectivity.

The fact is the laws of football are there to be adhered to. The Premiership referees are the best qualified in the country to control matches in accordance with those laws. It is up to players to ply their trade honestly and not to be provoked into actions that demand an early bath.

The weekly denigration of our officials with the regular 'four out of ten' mark will not change the situation one iota.

Perhaps Peter will finally accept my offer of financial assistance towards the operation to have his blue and white spectacles removed once and for all.

NEIL A YATES, Livesey Street, Rishton, BB1 4DY.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.