Take A Bow Phil Dowd

Never in the field of human football, was so much owed by Man U to so few referees.

Ok, it's not quite Churchillian:

Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.....

But even though JF is at Wembley, no doubt berating the referee and drowning his sorrows I just know he'd find himself on the phone if I actually posted what I want to say about this incompetent buffoon who seems unable to go a single match without making a mistake that most of us would flog our kids for.

We can itemise his idiocy today although without wishing to sound libellous, IF I was in his position I'd be off to William Hill post match but the daft thing is I can't even accuse him of that even if I wanted to libel the man....because that would show intelligence.

5 mins pen - not even a booking. Rafael does his best to floor a player and when that doesn't work he goes with his elbow....no booking.

Yet in the meantime two of our players fart and it's instant yellows? What was it, 65 minutes before Vidic finally got the yellow for the red card professional foul he deserved?

Ok I'm rambling because I'm peeved, but it comes to something when Lineker, Mary Poppins and 'Shambolic' Hanson can't understand why the ref was so bad, and actually intimate he was scared of the United reaction.

He's meant to be an unbiased, well paid professional himself and yet he was clearly intimidated. Is this the kind of man the Referee's Association wish to defend? The kind of man they wish to call one of their own?

Does a game go by wherein there isn't at least one 'questionable' decision this man takes?

What's the answer....video evidence? Makes you wonder, are referee's so against it because they think it will put them out of a job and ruin 'the natural pace' of a game, or are they more scared in fact of being shown up and finally having their decisions brought into question.

Yes ok I feel stronger about this tonight than I would normally because, despite helping as much as we could by making our own stupid errors and pig headed decisions to play people out of position and then make the same substitution we always do (Sidwell must be really annoyed, he didn't even get 30 seconds today) I feel cheated.

Man U deserved the win, for the majority of the game they were better than us. They passed it around better, and created far more opportunities than we did by being scared to shoot or by having static forwards again. BUT...

...had Dowd actually followed the training he has no doubt been given Vidic would've been off the field deservedly after 5 minutes. He wouldn't have then been able to help keep us out the box for the next 90 given the injury time we had.

It was a schoolboy error and I'm fed up of referee's harping one minute they have to stick to the letter of the law, and then next claiming a defence under the spirit of the law. If referee's want spirits, stop hiding the fact you drink. If you don't understand the letter of the law then go back to school you illiterate retards.

It's one or the other...not one when it suits you, and another when you are too scared to make the big decisions.

Today was a classic Cup Final for me, it was hard fought, had it's moments of brilliance and both teams could've taken charge - it should've been better and it would've been had an idiot not been in charge. The game has been taken away from the fans enough without encouraging and rewarding referees who fancy their chances as being the centre of attention instead of the game actually being played, especially when their gutless nature in decision making means one side is cheated unfairly out of their day.

We may not have won, this is Man United and even down to 10 men that doesn't guarantee a win...but those fans at Wembley today who expected to see a fair match, judged correctly and within the letter of the law have been cheated by Phil Dowd who was incapable of making the tough decision early on.

Losing to Man U is nothing to be ashamed of, most likely losing because of the reckless and incompetent decisions of one man who frankly should not matter and who in reality wouldn't have his name known if football wasn't celebrity driven is unforgiveable.

I hope he enjoyed his wage for today...maybe he'd like to contribute it to compensate those who spent their hard earn't cash expecting a fair game.

Not difficult is it....last man, red card. Elbow, yellow card.

So let me quote to Rafael 'that's two....no more'. Yeah you told him Dowdy, bullied as a child? Christ even the commentators were taking the piss.

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