in the match report this line boiled my piss;

"There was late controversy as the officials gave handball on the edge of the box.

The home side understandably wanted a penalty"

So in football it is now 'understandable' to cheat?

Every single one of those protesting Colchester players knew that wasn't a penalty, are we at a stage were we have no honesty left in football any more?

Ok the officials were incompetent almost beyond belief but they aren't helped by players behaving like damned bounders.

People are acting like they have never seen anything like this before?? It happens every single match, get over it.

That doesn't happen every single match*

*Possibly, in the Pakistani Premier League.

Whilst they haven't yet uploaded their match report, so we shall reserve final judgement until then, this particular article seems to adopt a very Wenger-like approach to the incident.

http://www.gazette-news.co.uk/sport/867 ... Henderson/

money has spoilt the game at all levels. Why should people just accept it? I've become very, very disillusioned with the game for this very reason. It very much wrankles with my conscience handing over what little spare cash I've got to football these days

although we have got the shit end of the stick(again), I don't think its was anything other than a weak referee giving a homer.

Im not on about stupid handballs every game but players pushing referees for fouls, throw ins their way, fouls futher forward etc happens every game.

I think people need to move on, it happened now get over it, nothing will be changed.

It would be good to see, how come Rugby is so different with regard to how players treat the ref?

agree with tree,you see these six foot outhouses knocking hell out of each other,then you see the ref about four foot telling them off and they meekly doing as they are told whilst apologising

Rugby referees talk to the players constantly through the game telling them to stop doing things like releasing the tackler or to let the ball go. Whenever the award a free kick or penalty its with a visual signal to explain what the penalty is for. They earn the respect (or at least understanding) of the players. If a rugby player gives a ref any chat back the free kick is advanced 10 yards. If the player continues its a card and 10 minutes in the sin bin. If any player was to confront a referee like football players do it would be card and probably a long suspension. Most problems with football lie with the authorities who are incompetent at managing things. FIFA determine the rules of the game and how they are to be interpreted.

The trouble is, that the players at the top of the tree are now celebrities, they have the power and suspensions and the like are not gonna be welcomed by the owners because they see their investment not giving it's full return. It's become a lot like showbiz and it's ran down the leagues to the kids level.
Footballers at the top level are millionaires and in reality are beyond any meaningful control. There backers will defend them and if it all gets too much they'll up sticks and move to well rewarded pastures new. It stinks.

what he said ^