Refereeing standards need to be improved

An issue in football that rears its ugly head at various stages every season is the standard of refereeing in football.

Without fail, the football world will be left pulling out whatever hair remains over decisions made by officials every weekend and this was no different.

Midway through the second half of the Sunderland – Arsenal game, Martin Atkinson inexplicably disallowed a Sunderland goal for a foul on a Sunderland player; refusing to let them play advantage and making them take the free-kick instead. Incomprehensibly, he also failed to send off the Arsenal defender for a professional foul.

Referees like Atkinson bring the game into disrepute by continually making these baffling decisions and are rarely held accountable for their mistakes. Until this issue is addressed, the game will continue to suffer fools gladly.

A good public flogging should do the trick!