THE dissatisfaction with referees is reaching crisis point - so much so that anyone who admits to wanting to make a career as "the man in the middle" these days would probably be referred to the nearest shrink.

Events at the weekend have not improved the reputation of referees, nor given former players the encouragement to take over the whistle.

Oxford referee Rob Harris was the subject of a scathing attack from Southampton manager Dave Jones after Saints' 1-0 defeat at Leeds - a game which featured a sending off which looked undeserved.

Jones said he didn't think Harris should be allowed to refereee a Sunday League match, and he heaped criticism on all three match officials at Elland Road.

Sheffield's Uriah Rennie, no stranger to controversy this season, was sharply criticisied for his sending off of Watford's Frenchman Xaviet Gravelaine in their 3-2 home defeat by Sunderland, and there were other incidents of refs being blamed for cautions and sendings off which managers feel are not warranted.

The criticism of refs continued even in non-league circles, with Witney Town's manager Andy Lyne weighing into the debate.

Lyne blasted St Albans referee M.Russell for allowing six minutes of injury time in their FA Umbro Trophy tie at Heybridge Swifts, during which time the Essex club grabbed a last-gasp winner.

Lyne said the linesman had signalled a minute of injury time, but the referee had played six minutes. As soon as Heybridge scored the ref blew for full time, prompting Lyne to say: "The impression you got was that a replay was not a preferred option."

There will always be an element risk about refereeing when allowance is made for referees' interpretation of the rules, but timekeeping ought not to be an issue.

An independent timekeeper could make life simpler for refs, with no room for dispute from players, fans and managers.

As for the broader matter of how referees carry out their very onerous tasks, I have some sympathy with the pressures they are put under, not least by players who are determined to make gains for their team illegally, by diving and feinting injury.

Add to those pressure, barbed comments from managers and the name-calling from fans who lose all reason once the game kicks off.

The answer has to be to make all league referees professional in all senses of the word, and have done with it. Sure, there will be a cost - but there's enough money in the game these days to afford it.

I WAS as delighted as most of the Oxford United fans that Mickey Lewis is to continue as their manager.

Chairman Firoz Kassam has made one of his wiser moves since taking over the club, not only confirming Lewis as first-team coach until the end of the season, but bringing in a man with a vast knowledge of the game to help him.

Ray Harford, the former Luton Town, Blackburn Rovers, West Brom and QPR boss, is now a technical director at United - an appointment intended to benefit Kassam and his fellow directors as much as Lewis and his assistant Les Taylor.

As I predicted in this column a few weeks ago, Mickey has the commitment to the cause to go with his courage and determination - and that should see United safely through the season.

As building work is about to restart on United's half-built stadium at Minchery Farm, the prospects for the club look decidedly rosier.

Time will tell whether Mickey will get the manager's job beyond next May, but there's no doubt he will do his utmost to show he has the right credentials to steer the U's in a determined promotion push next season.

Somehow I think he might prove a better prospect as a manager than many give him credit for.

Story date: Wednesday 01 December

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