Scottish Catholic Observer

Paisley and West Renfrewshire MP Jim Sheridan (above) has written to the SFA after referee development chief Hugh Dallas and four other members of staff where dismissed for circulating a vile and offensive email about the Pope.

Mr Sheridan, who sits on the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in Westminster, said he believes full transparency is required to restore the SFA’s reputation.

“This letter to the SFA will inform them that the committee will be looking into football governance throughout the United Kingdom in the next couple of months,” he said. “I would like the SFA to express their views on transparency, the structure of the SFA, the conspiracy culture and the way we deal with referees.”

“People I speak to within the game are fed up with every week bringing a new conspiracy theory and another referee being at fault. It has to be brought to an end. “If there is bias or bigotry within the organisation then let’s get rid of it for the good of the game. Things really have to be clarified as it just cannot continue the way we are at the moment.”

Scottish Football Association chief executive Stewart Regan dismissed Mr Sheridan’s suggestion as ‘grossly misguided’.

“Mr Sheridan spoke publicly before making any effort to contact me or ascertain details of the work currently ongoing to improve our game,” he said. “Mr Sheridan’s comments on alleged bias within the Scottish FA are divisive, grossly misguided and deeply unhelpful.”

Last week First Minster Alex Salmond said he backed the SFA’s decision to dismiss Mr Dallas over the e-mail slur.

“The SFA, as a responsible organisation in Scotland, has rules and regulations covering these matters,” Mr Salmond told MSPs. “I believe, incidentally, that following due process they have come to the right decision.”