http://www.setanta.com/portal/artic...en&articleid=c8ce38637a5ed954802571d500362020
Dermot Gallagher, the referee at the centre of the Ben Thatcher elbowing row, may have taken charge of his last Premiership game.
Gallagher failed to send off Man City's Thatcher despite acknowledging that he had a clear view of the challenge which left Pompey's Pedro Mendes unconscious. Suspicion that the Oxfordshire referee will no longer be considered for top flight assignments was fuelled by the comments of referee's chief Keith Hackett.
Hackett told the Daily Mail: "Having looked at the replays, I've been disappointed with some refereeing decisions. I've already taken action in term of selection for forthcoming games," he said.
"The criteria for the top level is that these are made on the basis of performance. Everyone wants to get off to a good start in a season and referees are no different. You will always get an error but in some of the opening games there were clear errors I can't defend."
The likelihood is that Gallagher will be demoted back to the Championship, for the second time in five years.
In 2001, Gallagher was punished for failing to send-off Robbie Keane after the Irishman appeared to push David Beckham in the face. Gallagher subsequently returned to the Premiership but there is unlikely to be another reprieve for the 49 year-old whistle blower.
According to Hackett: "Sometimes their viewing angles are obscured but I don't think you can defend things which happen in front of them."
Meanwhile Mendes has expressed his shock at Thatcher's tackle, saying: "The moment was terrible. After the incident, I do not remember anything after that until I was in hospital.
"It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my career."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce said: "What happened on Wednesday was indefensible. Any form of discipline will be discussed at board level, kept internal and we will move on from there.
"But I can assure everybody, this has hit the player very hard. There is no bravado about him. He has gone home, turned the TV and seen the challenge. The more you watch it, the worse it gets."
Dermot Gallagher, the referee at the centre of the Ben Thatcher elbowing row, may have taken charge of his last Premiership game.
Gallagher failed to send off Man City's Thatcher despite acknowledging that he had a clear view of the challenge which left Pompey's Pedro Mendes unconscious. Suspicion that the Oxfordshire referee will no longer be considered for top flight assignments was fuelled by the comments of referee's chief Keith Hackett.
Hackett told the Daily Mail: "Having looked at the replays, I've been disappointed with some refereeing decisions. I've already taken action in term of selection for forthcoming games," he said.
"The criteria for the top level is that these are made on the basis of performance. Everyone wants to get off to a good start in a season and referees are no different. You will always get an error but in some of the opening games there were clear errors I can't defend."
The likelihood is that Gallagher will be demoted back to the Championship, for the second time in five years.
In 2001, Gallagher was punished for failing to send-off Robbie Keane after the Irishman appeared to push David Beckham in the face. Gallagher subsequently returned to the Premiership but there is unlikely to be another reprieve for the 49 year-old whistle blower.
According to Hackett: "Sometimes their viewing angles are obscured but I don't think you can defend things which happen in front of them."
Meanwhile Mendes has expressed his shock at Thatcher's tackle, saying: "The moment was terrible. After the incident, I do not remember anything after that until I was in hospital.
"It is the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my career."
Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce said: "What happened on Wednesday was indefensible. Any form of discipline will be discussed at board level, kept internal and we will move on from there.
"But I can assure everybody, this has hit the player very hard. There is no bravado about him. He has gone home, turned the TV and seen the challenge. The more you watch it, the worse it gets."
