Neville was a pain to referee but at least I got my message across

By Graham Poll

Last updated at 9:41 AM on 31st October 2011

Gary Neville wrote in his Mail on Sunday column about how he and his Manchester United colleagues used to try to intimidate referees, as did a variety of players from the leading teams in the late 90’s.

It was the thing to do, the way to act – according to Neville. Well being one of those referees at the time I can only tell you that it wasn’t.

Neville was a real pain to referee and the problem for a referee is that at a free kick you have to take up a viewing position which means you are next to the right full-back.

Nightmare: Graham Poll had his fair share of battles with Gary Neville (centre)

So, at Old Trafford, after an attack which didn’t end with a goal I found myself next to Neville knowing he would have whinge and a moan.

Bear in mind that I refereed Manchester United 57 times and he will have played in the vast majority of them. Gary was the Premier League player I had most contact with.

Referees are human beings who officiate because of their love for the game. They are not on an ego trip and do not want headlines about themselves as they know how badly that can affect their families.

And that is what I tried to put across to the Manchester United first-team squad in the meeting which Neville cites as pivotal in changing his approach towards referees.

What I said to the players, from my recollection, was not quite what Neville recalls. Not that it matters as the effect, at least on him, appears to have been what I was aiming for.

What I was trying to put across back then was that referees do not deliberately go out to 'settle scores' or go against players who have abused them in the past. However it is the referees’ subconscious which affects future decisions.

I also highlighted that stress and pressure result in strange decisions and if [Roy] Keane, [Teddy] Sheringham and Neville believed they were the best then they should merely want the referee to make correct decisions and have no negative affect on the outcome of the game.

Words: Manchester Untied's Roy Keane airs his views to Graham Poll