LAST season football was marred with ridiculous red and yellow card bookings. As a result, several referees were taken off the Premier league list and hopes were high this season would see fewer daft bookings.

But after watching Rovers for the last couple of games, I can see there are more than just a few gremlins in the works.

Take, for example, the sending off of Leeds player Harry Kewell for what can only be described as a ridiculous situation. He was booked for a second time after moving the ball about five feet to the correct position for where a Rovers free kick should be taken.

A yellow card for that? Don't make me laugh.

Then off went Patrick Valery against Spurs for two tackles which, even the most ardent of Spurs fans would have admitted, weren't malicious.

We see penalty appeals being ignored, penalties being given under the most suspicious of circumstances and, perhaps most ridiculous of all, the referees don't consult their linesmen, sorry, the referee's assistant.

We have a great game in this country, but it is being spoilt by a the men in black who refuse to admit when they are wrong.

W Seddon

Accringtonn

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