Chris Wilder hits out at perceived bias against Sheffield United from officials
Sheffield United’s manager, Chris Wilder, has said it was time to speak out on behalf of the club about a perceived bias against them from matchday officials. Wilder described the referee Tony Harrington’s performance after the 3-2 defeat at Crystal Palace on Tuesday as “ridiculous”and that he would be speaking with Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
As he prepares for Saturday’s home game against Aston Villa he said that too many decisions go against his side. “I’m not confident I’ll get anything back that will change my opinion of how things are. I’m not looking back over the last 10 games, it’s over a longer period, before I was here as well. It’s the in-game decisions, the soft fouls go against us. It’s an easy one.
“Maybe the thought process and the outlook is that they [Sheffield United] won’t be long in this division and ‘I might be refereeing the other team next year, so don’t want to upset too many people’.”
Wilder said his feelings were shared by his coaching staff. “I wouldn’t be saying it if I didn’t think it was right. The majority of Sheffield United supporters will feel the same as well. I’m not just speaking on behalf of myself. I’m speaking on behalf of the players and more importantly I’m speaking on behalf of the football club.”
The Blades benefited from two controversial decisions in their recent home draw against West Ham, but Wilder said: “What about the other things that have gone the other way? There’s more things that have not gone our way and the general refereeing as well.
“I was told about this coming into the division, that ‘get ready, all the slight decisions, all the easy decisions, will go against you’. It has had that feel and that’s the disappointing thing.”