Ian Evatt’s dissatisfaction with refereeing standards extends way beyond 90 minutes at Wycombe.
While his sights were focussed on the experienced Andy Woolmer and his assistants on Saturday afternoon following a frustrating day at Adams Park, the Bolton boss feels there are deeper-rooted issues that will not be solved without investment.
At least one penalty appeal by striker Cameron Jerome and persistent fouling of young Manchester United playmaker Shola Shoretire were the two main causes of concern this weekend.
And Evatt even ventured to suggest that Gareth Ainsworth’s amiable personality may be getting his sides a better rub from the officials.
“I don’t know how much more obvious you can get,” he said, of the Jerome incident.
“We keep saying ‘that’s football’ but how long do we have to let it happen?
“Second half it was so disrupted. (Josh) Scowen’s was a really poor tackle on Shola (Shoretire), all he has done is kick him all game and then he finally gets a yellow card in the 89th minute? It isn’t good enough.
“I really like Gaz and he is a brilliant guy – but I think because of that, sometimes his teams get away with more than they should. That’s my opinion.
“Credit to them, they won the game. But we have lost a battle here, we haven’t lost the war yet.”
Former postman Woolmer has been a referee for nearly two decades and has taken charge of nearly 500 league games at Championship, League One and League Two level along with assistant duties at Premier League level.
Evatt has long been an advocate that the professional group used by the Premier League and Championship should be extended further in the hope it would raise standards across refereeing.
“There has to be accountability,” Evatt said. “This is really important for us, and it isn’t just this game and this club, it is right throughout football.
“I keep banging on that until we make referees professional throughout the divisions, they are not going to improve. They are doing this part-time.
“There is enough money in the game to make them professional and give them the best opportunity to make the best decisions. At the moment we are getting it wrong too often.
“We need to make sure the officials are professional in the professional pyramid and then see where we go from there.”
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