Andy Marriner, More Donald Duck than Referee

The Newcastle United Vs Wigan Athletic game was thrown into controversy by one of the worst refereeing decisions seen in the Premier League this season or any other for that matter

Andy Marriner must be short sighted or suffer from blurred vision because his sending off of Latics defender Emerson Boyce was an absolute joke.

Boyce who had been booked in the first half knocked the ball out for a corner when under pressure from Newcastle striker Ameobi, to everyones surprise the clown of a referee blew for a free-kick for Newcastle and then produced a yellow card for Boyce quickly followed by a red one

The whole of St. James` Park stood up in realms of laughter at a comic decision that would have been truly laughable had it not cost the Latics the victory and three points

Last week we had Newcastle boss Joe Kinnear calling a referee Mickey Mouse well today we have surely seem his colleague Donald Duck

Latics boss Steve Bruce, though clearly fuming kept a level head as he spoke to reporters, he said:

'I would love to say what I really want to say, but I can't for obvious reasons'

'But the sending-off is a joke, an absolute joke of a decision, and cost us ultimately.

'I think we comfortably would have gone on to win the game with 11 - we should have won the game with 10, if Henri Camara had taken his chance.

'And now with this stupid rule that you can't appeal two yellow cards, we miss the boy next week for Everton as well, so I am very disappointed.

'It's a howler of a decision. He absolutely got the ball.

'The referee has got to be absolutely nailed on before he gives a yellow card or before he gives a red card because those decisions change games.

'That's why we go nuts. The Respect campaign and all the rest of it - he has got it wrong.

'Sir Alex (Ferguson) is probably right this week; they should come into the training grounds and referee the training games or do something.

'We were robbed three weeks ago at Anfield and it knocked us back, and it was the same thing again here.

'That's all we are talking about, refereeing decisions.'

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