Cardiff City 1 Leeds United 0: Jones calls for referee to be relegated after red-card display
Monday, 19 February 2007
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Three points, a clean sheet: what is there left to grumble about? Why, referees, of course. The Cardiff City manager, Dave Jones, was left incensed by the performance of Premier League official Mark Clattenburg as his side claimed their ninth home win of the season to enhance their hopes of making the play-offs.
"I think that [Clattenburg[ has a lot to answer for today," Jones said. "I am trying to get out of this division and he has just depleted my squad through downright bad refereeing."
Clattenburg had sent off the Cardiff defender Simon Walton and the goalscorer Michael Chopra after his match-winning 20-yard free-kick on the stroke of half-time, both for collecting two bookings.
"Tell me, why do they [the FA] drop them down?" Jones asked. "If they're not good enough to referee at the top level, what's different at our level? If they look at that performance, will they drop him down again? I think he lost the plot and got confused. I feel sorry for the division below. I believe every manager will be crapping themselves because they think they're going to get him."
But such was the dominance of Jones' side that they could afford to squander a penalty, with Scotland international Steve Thompson seeing his shot saved by Casper Ankergren.
The tempestuous encounter was not limited to the pitch, with the Leeds supporters making their feelings heard, much to the annoyance of Jones. The Cardiff manager was accused of making gestures towards the away fans that made reference to his court case for child abuse, in which he was cleared.
"No I didn't, I was just picking my nose," he said when asked if he had given the Leeds fans a middle-finger salute, although he did admit to gesturing that Leeds were going down. "That [the court case] was a long time ago. I can't help it if Leeds fans live in the past. And if they think that is upsetting me, they are absolute fools. If they want to see me and ask me, they can. Don't be cowards, which is what they are."
Goal: Chopra (45) 1-0.
Cardiff City (4-4-2): Alexander; Gilbert (Gunter, 46), McNaughton, Johnson, Ledley; Whittingham, McPhail, Walton, Parry; Chopra, Thompson (Byrne, 89). Substitutes not used: Flood, Forde, Redan.
Leeds United (4-4-2): Ankergren; Armando Sa, Rui Marques (Foxe, 41), Heath, Lewis; Westlake (Cresswell, 60), Douglas, Nicholls, Moore; Kandol, Blake (Healy, 60). Substitutes not used: Stack, Howson.
Referee: M Clattenburg (Co Durham).
Booked: Cardiff City Thompson, Chopra, Walton; Leeds United Foxe, Kandol, Nicholls.
Sent off: Chopra (66); Walton (84).
Man of the match: McNaughton.
Attendance: 16,644.
