15 February 2007

Lithuanian affairs

Old Vladdie stirs the pot - again. The BBC reports:
Hearts majority shareholder Vladimir Romanov has accused the Old Firm of Rangers and Celtic of "buying off" referees and players in Scotland.
"They buy off players and referees," Romanov told Russian magazine Futbol.
"If two opponents are equally matched then the referees can have a real influence on the outcome."

I do not believe that SFA referees can be bribed. Bearing in mind, however, the number of penalties awarded to the Old Firm in the dying moments of any closely fought match, then like any non-Old Firm football supporter I am reminded of Humbert Wolfe's epigram:
You cannot hope to bribe or twist,
Thank God! the British journalist.
But, seeing what the man will do
Unbribed, there's no occasion to.

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