In Favour Of Premiership Refs?

PAUL Sturrock's recent outburst about Premiership referees being unable to cope in Championship matches has got us at VSW wondering if he's right or not. Have YOUR say in our recent poll.

The Owls gaffer blew his top after Wednesday's 1-0 Yorkshire derby day defeat to rivals Leeds United - pointing the finger of blame towards some dodgy refereeing by Premiership ref Steve Bennett.

Bennett sent on-loan 'keeper Brad Jones off after felling David Healy in the Owls box which lead to the decisive goal in the Bank Holiday fixture - a decision which infuriated Paul Sturrock and was later overturned by the FA on appeal.

And Sturrock suggested the Premiership refs should remain in the Premiership and let Football League refs take the reigns for Championship matches.

He said: 'I'd like the Premiership to keep their own referees. There's been too many games I've been to watch in the last year and a half - and too many games I've been involved with - and they don't seem to be able to handle the step down.

'Obviously the pace of the game is a lot more in our league than in the Premiership and I just feel it would be very nice if they just left us alone and let us stick to our own referees.

'I feel strongly about this and I've had conversations with other Championship managers and they see exactly the same problems. I think it's a subconscious thing and they seem to have real problems changing from the Premiership to this league.

'We've got referees from the Championship who make mistakes but I'd much rather have them than referees who step down from the Premiership.' he continued.

So what do YOU think about Premiership refs taking control of matches in the Championship? HAVE YOUR SAY in the latest Vital Sheffield Wednesday poll - live now on the Vital Sheffield Wednesday homepage!

You can also have your say on the official VITAL SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY FORUMS by CLICKING HERE

Click here to join in the debate on the club forum.