Referee v Ross County

[PatHead]

It's Craig Napier's turn to turn us over this weekend. Wonder what they will manage it this time.

Kevin Clancy is on VAR duties in the St Mirren v Aberdeen match!

[we are hibs]

He's one of the few I don't think is biased or a cheat. He's just completely and utterly useless. He must've ruined the last 3 or 4 Hibs games. Wrongly sent off Jeggo then the next time he ref'd us at Easter Road he was obviously still in the hump about us calling out his terrible display cause he followed it up with an even worse one.

[JimBHibees]

Another ref who I genuinely think has no understanding or feel for the game. Similar to Clancy and Collum in that regard. Seem to get him more than other teams don't think he has reffed either of the old firm teams.

[Scotty Leither]

Is this the guy who looks about 12 years old?

[Silky]

Another ref who I genuinely think has no understanding or feel for the game. Similar to Clancy and Collum in that regard. Seem to get him more than other teams don't think he has reffed either of the old firm teams.

:agree: He's a poor ref. I agree with previous posters in that I don't think he's biased, or a cheat. He's just incompetent, has no understanding of the game and is one of these people who has been promoted above their abilities. Should be reffing at a lower level. I'm sure I read somewhere he had been fast-tracked to Grade 1. You can tell!

[Hibernian Verse]

He's only refereed 2 Premiership matches since November because he is not good enough to consistently referee the top flight.

[Ron D Hibbie]

Guaranteed to be the star of the show. He is the worst ref by a long way.

[JimBHibees]

He's only refereed 2 Premiership matches since November because he is not good enough to consistently referee the top flight.

Strange one that. See him at a few games as 4th official

[Carheenlea]

Running into a nice bit of form where we could have Wallace Mercer refereeing with Gary Mackay and Gary Locke on the lines and Craig Levein on VAR, and it shouldn’t have much impact on the outcome.

[GreenCastle]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23474133.lee-johnson-eviscerates-craig-napier-broken-refereeing-system/

He was the one who sent Jeggo off then it was downgraded.

[LaMotta]

I think the way we the fans are feeling just now following our run of shocking decisions, that Napier's ears may very well be in for a loud afternoon if he refs the way I think he will.

[HIBS NUTS]

Craig Napier is the worst referee in Scottish football by a country mile, he he isn’t even rated by other officials.
I would actually take Clancy ahead of him, absolutely anything could happpen .😡

[JimBHibees]

https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/23474133.lee-johnson-eviscerates-craig-napier-broken-refereeing-system/

He was the one who sent Jeggo off then it was downgraded.

Also ignored the most obvious red card ever in a home game against St Johnstone which we drew in. Probably a decent bet on a Hibs player getting a red tomorrow

[LewysGot2]

Singularly THE worst referee in our game. Absolutely no clue about the game. Oh dear...

[Sparrows tongue]

Scotlands worst referee.

And, of course, we get stuck with him.

Cheers, SFA. :aok:

[overdrive]

He's only refereed 2 Premiership matches since November because he is not good enough to consistently referee the top flight.

Why do we get lumbered with these incompetents? They don't give him matches involving either Rangers or Celtic as they know he's rubbish so why do we and the rest of the league have to suffer him?

[HIBS NUTS]

He’s hardly had any games
He’s been dropped because of bad marks

[Lago]

Maybe organise another referees strike then we could the Malta guys back, they did a decent job.

[GreenCastle]

It’s odd as other sports you can go watch and don’t think oh no this ref is awful or will ruin the game. Unless someone gives me some examples ???

Seems most Scottish football games are full of refs who you know can easily severely change the outcome of a game.

Just doesn’t sit well especially when folk spend ££ on Tickets and the outcomes at stake.

[Eyrie]

It’s odd as other sports you can go watch and don’t think oh no this ref is awful or will ruin the game. Unless someone gives me some examples ???

Seems most Scottish football games are full of refs who you know can easily severely change the outcome of a game.

Just doesn’t sit well especially when folk spend ££ on Tickets and the outcomes at stake.

In other sports George Clancy immediately comes to mind. Irish rugby referee with absolutely no feel for the game.

No clue whether he's related to the arrogant incompetent from Wednesday evening.

[Carheenlea]

Would be great to have a game where the referee just referees and you don’t really notice him.

Rather than easing pressure on referees and taking them out the spotlight, VAR has positioned them front and centre as the main focus and attention of a Saturday afternoon when we just want to go along to watch our team.

I’m surprised anyone wants to work under that kind of scrutiny and it’s no wonder it’s just a constant catalogue of errors.

Fingers crossed we can just enjoy a game tomorrow where it’s all about the players.

[darwenhibby]

Why do we get lumbered with these incompetents? They don't give him matches involving either Rangers or Celtic as they know he's rubbish so why do we and the rest of the league have to suffer him?
Think they are all rubbish
Can’t think of a decent referee in Scotland

[Bostonhibby]

Whisper it, but our family yam (who has been on more putting greens than Hearts games) reckons Napier is one of them.

He could just be taking a scattergun approach as bound to be be right eventually

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[MWHIBBIES]

Would be great to have a game where the referee just referees and you don’t really notice him.

Rather than easing pressure on referees and taking them out the spotlight, VAR has positioned them front and centre as the main focus and attention of a Saturday afternoon when we just want to go along to watch our team.

I’m surprised anyone wants to work under that kind of scrutiny and it’s no wonder it’s just a constant catalogue of errors.

Fingers crossed we can just enjoy a game tomorrow where it’s all about the players.

How would var lead to errors? It's been actually proven to decrease errors quite significantly.

[Bakerman]

Whisper it, but our family yam (who has been on more putting greens than Hearts games) reckons Napier is one of them.

He could just be taking a scattergun approach as bound to be be right eventually

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A Craig Thompson protege perhaps? Every game he's been involved in with us has led to him being seriously critiqued. Maybe, tomorrow it'll be our day, as its not against the currants or yams. But, then again maybe not. Its a pure lottery with these lot.

[GreenCastle]

How would var lead to errors? It's been actually proven to decrease errors quite significantly.

But also taking the fun away from attending games as no one has a clue what’s going on in the stadium at times as the incidents aren’t shown to the crowd.

Would Clany made that call on Wednesday if Hibs fans were also watching the replay on the screens in the stadium ??

Even better if the refs explained it to the crowd.

[worcesterhibby]

How would var lead to errors? It's been actually proven to decrease errors quite significantly.

Not in Scotland it hasnt

[HIBS NUTS]

This is an accident waiting to happen today.
Not only does Craig Napier get the big decisions wrong, he makes bizarre calls through out the entire game.

[staunchhibby]

Bring back the Maltese refs.:aok::aok:

[CapitalGreen]

He’s dished out 25 red cards in just 61 games since the start of last season.

Questions should be asked why he’s never refereed a game involving Rangers or Celtic in his career. If he’s not considered capable enough to referee those teams why are the rest of the league subjected to him?

[B.H.F.C]

Ref who has the potential to totally spoil the game. It’s not just a case of him getting big decisions wrong, it’s that he will completely disrupt the flow of the game, almost guaranteed.

There’s some competition but he’s the worst by a mile for me. He’ll spend half the game arguing with various players as well.

[Hibee Mac]

Worst ref in the league, without a shadow of a doubt. And he refs Hibs more than any other ref each year.

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[Carheenlea]

Shaping up to be a very entertaining afternoon indeed!

[Donegal Hibby]

Just when you think it can't get any worse after Clancy :rolleyes:

[GreenCastle]

Bring back the Maltese refs.:aok::aok:

People also forget that the refs from other countries were brought in as the Scottish refs were striking due to all the abuse they were getting and hate mail etc.

[oneone73]

People also forget that the refs from other countries were brought in as the Scottish refs were striking due to all the abuse they were getting and hate mail etc.

Yep. They were scabs. I didn't go when they were reffing.

[GreenCastle]

He’s dished out 25 red cards in just 61 games since the start of last season.

Questions should be asked why he’s never refereed a game involving Rangers or Celtic in his career. If he’s not considered capable enough to referee those teams why are the rest of the league subjected to him?

I actually thought you were joking about the old firm - but according to this I can’t see any Rangers or Celtic games ?

You can go back a few seasons also.

Co-incidence??? That really doesn’t seem right ??????

Add it to the list of Old Firm scenarios that don’t exist like Rangers and Celtic playing each other 1st game of the season. Never happens.

https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=1572

[MWHIBBIES]

Not in Scotland it hasnt

It has.

[MWHIBBIES]

But also taking the fun away from attending games as no one has a clue what’s going on in the stadium at times as the incidents aren’t shown to the crowd.

Would Clany made that call on Wednesday if Hibs fans were also watching the replay on the screens in the stadium ??

Even better if the refs explained it to the crowd.

Its always quite obvious to me what is happening. And they always announce it if it goes on a bit.

[JimBHibees]

It has.

Not for us

[Viva_Palmeiras]

So Nottingham Forest have appointed Clattenburg as a refs analyst.

Pointless in Scotland but who would we get - slim pickings…. And they’re all crap.

but to misquote McGlashan “so here’s the news for the rest of your lives…. if you’re a Hibee it’s gonna be [BLEEP] on”

[LaMotta]

He’s dished out 25 red cards in just 61 games since the start of last season.

Questions should be asked why he’s never refereed a game involving Rangers or Celtic in his career. If he’s not considered capable enough to referee those teams why are the rest of the league subjected to him?

You sure about that stat mate? I know you are usually bang on with stats but transfermarkt has him at 15 since start of last season in all comps....

[Monts]

Thought he was fine today

[Carheenlea]

I’d be interested to know what the difference was when Boyle got bundled over in box in a similar fashion to the way Rangers got a penalty after Rocky bundled over a Rangers player in a similar fashion to when the ball was away?

A bit over fussy at times but otherwise no worse than the norm.

[ACLeith]

He was better than I thought he would be, but that's not giving him any real credit. Too fussy regarding which blade of grass free kicks had to be taken from, but no real controversial decisions needed. And he wasn't biased, equally fussy for both teams.

[Sparrows tongue]

Better than I was expecting, I wonder if someone has had a wee word in his shell-like? :agree:

[maturehibby]

No contentious decisions today .
Thought VAR might have intervened on acouple of occasions
Kept his cards in his pocket save for one bad foul.
Needed to bring Ross County players back at throw ins as they were stealing lots of yards .
Was worried pre game but he behaved so it's a pass from me
Today

[HIBS NUTS]

He was actually alright today .😳

[Keith_M]

Thought he was fine today


Agreed. Seen much worse.

[scm70nyd1973]

Some refereeing or SFA pundit was on Off The Ball recently bumming him up - having witnessed him before I thought they were having a laugh so I was dreading today - but fair is fair - he was okay today 🫢

[lugz]

Overall was okay but the small pernickety things were driving me crazy. Couldn't take a free kick unless it was exactly where he said. Think Emiliano was getting fed up with him.

[Ron D Hibbie]

He was actually alright today .😳

Hibs were good in not giving him anything to get involved in.

[HIBS NUTS]

Hibs were good in not giving him anything to get involved in.

Yeh it was an easy game for him to referee , especially the first half, but he was anonymous, which is fine.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Right at the start of the game he made a ridiculous decision to award them a free kick right in front of the dugouts, he could only have been about 10 yards away. Hibs man clearly won the ball. I started thinking it was going to be a long afternoon.

[Bobby's Cinema]

He was needlessly picky with ball placement for fouls. And for me missed a stone wall booking in the corner of the east first half when MW was blatantly hauled down by his man when on the break.

Otherwise it was a fairly quiet game not much to say.

[JohnM1875]

Napier was abysmal today. Such a poor referee. A lot of what he was picky about made no sense yet a lot of what he let go made no sense. Go figure.

Useless.

[Dashing Bob S]

Napier was abysmal today. Such a poor referee. A lot of what he was picky about made no sense yet a lot of what he let go made no sense. Go figure.

Useless.

I agree, he was poor. Just because he didn't have any contentious decisions to make doesn't mean he performed. He takes the passion out the game with his pedantry, slows it down, makes players self conscious and ruins the spectacle for paying customers. I suspect that in most countries someone of his calibre wouldn't be let near a football pitch.

[CapitalGreen]

You sure about that stat mate? I know you are usually bang on with stats but transfermarkt has him at 15 since start of last season in all comps....

Transfermarkt has 2nd yellows and straight reds listed separately.

It also doesn’t include details for the early rounds of the Challenge Cup so 3 red cards he issued in one game aren’t recorded.

https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=1572&season_id=155

[davym7062]

first few mins great tackle from hibs player free kick them.. mans a clown

[LaMotta]

Transfermarkt has 2nd yellows and straight reds listed separately.

It also doesn’t include details for the early rounds of the Challenge Cup so 3 red cards he issued in one game aren’t recorded.

https://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=1572&season_id=155

I should never have doubted you :greengrin That is seriously mental though. He was better than I expected him to be today.

[Pete70]

Ref was fine today. Can’t really argue with any decisions. Yes he was a bit petty about where free kicks and thrown ins were taken from but that really had nothing to do with whether he was right in awarding them.

[matty_f]

I’d be interested to know what the difference was when Boyle got bundled over in box in a similar fashion to the way Rangers got a penalty after Rocky bundled over a Rangers player in a similar fashion to when the ball was away?

A bit over fussy at times but otherwise no worse than the norm.

Glad you flagged it. It was a foul that when it goes against us, we get told it doesn't matter where the ball is etc, but when it's our turn to get it, it doesn't even get looked at.

Other than that and the ridiculous foul mentioned already, he was fine.

[andrew70]

Yeah he was reasonably good today. Having said that he gave a drop ball to County on the East stand side line when it was definitely our ball.

It came to nothing so I’ll let him off. Wasn’t quite as eccentric as I’ve seen him before.