‘He’s Let His Profession Down’ – Graham Poll Shows Red Card To BT Sport Pundit Mark Halsey In Battle Of Celebrity Refs

Alan Duffy

8th, October 2013

5 Comments

By Alan Duffy

Soccer - Barclays Premier League - Liverpool v Stoke City - Anfield

Fight fight fight! It’s fair to say that BT Sport’s decision to used ex-ref Mark Halsey in their live match coverage has been an interesting new development. In his first few TV appearances with BT, Halsey played safe; rarely criticising any of the officials’ decision on the pitch.

However, after receiving an on-screen mauling from a gaggle of pundits including Steve McManaman, the 52-year-old has been far more aggressive in his lambasting of poor refereeing decisions, although overall he does still have the air of a broadcasting loose cannon.

Anyway, Halsey has now published his autobiography entitled “Added Time” and in the tome, the celebrity ref has a pop at a number of his counterparts, by name, for being sub-standard –  something which another celeb-official, Graham “Three Yellows” Poll, is not happy about, and in a phone-in radio spat on TalkSport, the two former men-in black had a right go at each other.

Poll said:

“He is 100% betraying what paid him a living he would never have earned as the warehouse manager he was or the taxi driver he was. The refereeing fraternity are absolutely appalled at what he is doing.

“He hasn’t thought it through. Mark has got to take a long, hard look at himself. He won’t. I know the guy. I have known him for years. He is that type of character.”

After thinking about how to respond, the cerebral Halsey hit back with:

“I’ve not let the profession down. If anybody is letting the profession down, some of his comments over the years have been atrocious. I found that ‘unfitting’ from him what he’s come out with.

“But that’s Graham. We don’t get on and I don’t like the way he’s done things over the years.”

Anyway, listen to the whole juicy scrap here….

Clip: dneilmusic13

Posted in Media, Newsnow

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5 Comments

  1. joe says:

    Any criticism by Graham Poll can easily be countered with the words ‘At least I can count to three’

  2. Col says:

    I think it’s time to introduce Referee Rap-Battling.

  3. Edinburgh Saint says:

    I wonder if Graham Poll issued three yellow cards before giving Halsey the Red?

  4. Ross says:

    I heard the first part live on talk sport on the way into work yesterday and heard the battle royal version on drive time on the way home…
    Has to be said that opinions are like ar5eholes, everyone has one!

    Halsey has achieved exactly what he set out to do, raise awareness of his impending autobiography, which by the way, I do not have any interest in reading at all (as well as many others I’d imagine).

    Let’s face it, both are just wanting their 15 minutes to last a little longer!

  5. Its nice to get a referees points for a change I thought bt had got it right by emploing a referee instead of a footballer as most channels havethem please bt bring back mark halsey

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