Whatever the sphere, there's little to cheer.

But our referees have been the biggest disappointment of all

11 May 1994

THE goalposts are starting to come down in both our great spectator sports -- how will we remember season 1993-94? In football we failed to qualify for the World Cup, in rugby, had we required to do so, it might not have proved a simple task.

For this was no vintage term whatever the shape of the ball.

Rangers always looked a class apart in the Premier League yet managed to stumble over the finishing line like exhausted marathon runners.

If they win the Scottish Cup it will be a tremendous treble but, to be honest, it will be no more than most folk expected.

The gulf has become that wide.

There used to be a player in one of the kids' magazines who had his hair styled in the shape of a question mark.

He would have been a natural to turn out for Celtic.

After millions of words, and almost as many boardroom battles, are we much clearer about where this grand old club is going, on or off the field? One's sympathy lies with the long-suffering supporters.

A healthy Celtic is required for the Scottish game to flourish.

Will Craig Brown be the man to revive the international side? He talks a good game, has already conjured up a victory, and seems willing to shed some of the blazerati who camp-follow to every Scotland match.

He deserves to be given every chance.

Motherwell have the undoubted right to be pleased with their efforts, as have Dunfermline, who even managed to look as though they enjoyed themselves.

Ivan Golac is an acquisition to be treasured.

There are still far too many professional clubs in Scotland and the latest reorganisation plans do little to tackle that issue.

I do believe that the move to three points for a win is long overdue, so is the abolishment of the draw, but I won't go on about that again.

Interestingly, many of the problems to be found in Scottish football are endemic in our domestic rugby.

The league structure there is equally unsound and must be changed after the World Cup.

Melrose again won the championship without having to be all that brilliant.

The general standard of play did not inspire much enthusiasm.

Even before the thrashing by the All Blacks it was obvious our international side had gone backwards.

Yes, we should have beaten England, and Ireland, but we still managed only a solitary try in five games.

Like football, rugby has gone for a new Messiah, or at least poached one back from a club job.

Jim Telfer will take time to bring his work to fruition yet you can feel his influence already.

Even so, we will need good fortune, particularly on the injury front, to maintain the No.4 spot in the world.

What has disappointed me most in both codes this season has been the standards of refereeing.

Sad to say the whistlers have often been inconsistent and, in some instances, have simply copped out.

There have been some quite astonishingly bad decisions and, in the disciplinary sense, on-the-field conduct has deteriorated as a result.

I make rugby the guiltier party in this respect.

It was amazing that no-one was sent off in the Five Nations Championship, indeed one wonders what sort of behaviour merits such a sanction these days.

In Saturday's Pilkington Cup final at Twickenham Bath prop Victor Ubogo was quite clearly seen lashing out at Leicester's Martin Johnson.

Did he go off? Of course not, heat of the moment, old chap.

The pair, by the way, are both in England's party to tour South Africa.

Best of pals, I'll bet.

And before anyone thinks the Scots have any reason to be sanguine let's remember the guy who is serving nine months in jail after a head butt.

His club seems to feel he was harshly treated.

I don't.

As for soccer refs, their image has hardly been improved by the attack by David Syme on Hearts player Alan McLaren, which may result in legal action.

If McLaren was so difficult why was he not sent off? Football and rugby should use the close-season to sit down and talk to their referees.

The authorities must make it clear that the officials will be supported if they take firm action -- but not if they shirk their responsibilities.

Refs with a sense of humour help.

I recall Glasgow official Lorne Crerar looking at a Currie player who had sunk to the turf, apparently at death's door after a slightly late tackle.

"Spare us that," implored the referee, and a very sheepish forward made a recovery of which Lazarus would have been proud.

I am off to have a little close-season of my own.

Taken from the Herald