Megson blasts 'stats ref': Bolton fuming over treatment of Davies

16 October 2009 01:02
A sinner but also sinned against: KevinDavies[LNB] Bolton have complained to referees' boss Keith Hackett, accusing a match official of bias against striker Kevin Davies.[LNB] Claims that referee Mike Jones allowed his decisions to be coloured by a preconceived view of Davies followed an exchange with Gary Megson in which the Bolton manager told the official he felt his striker was being treated differently to the rest of the players on the pitch.[LNB] It occurred at half-time during Bolton's 2-2 draw with Tottenham at The Reebok a fortnight ago.[LNB] Megson revealed: 'The referee said, "Have you seen his stats?" Kevin's stats are nothing to do with it. That's not part of a referee's remit to be thinking what may happen and what spin they would put on players' records. They've just got to referee the game as they see it. I got the club secretary to speak to Keith Hackett and say that this wasn't right.[LNB] 'People are not so much pre-judging as going in there with a slant on what to expect.'[LNB] [LNB]Graham Poll: The official line - referees treat players differently, not the laws Jones was referring to Davies's uncompromising reputation.[LNB] Last season he committed most fouls in the Premier League (117) - but he was also on the receiving end of most fouls (105). Megson insists the statistics do not tell the full story and firmly believes public opinion is now turning in favour of old-fashioned strikers like Davies, and against players who are found guilty of diving.[LNB] He added: 'You can't get away from it, Kevin Davies is deemed to commit more fouls than other players in the Premier League. But he's not been red-carded for eight years, he wasn't suspended at all last year and he's one of the most fouled players in the League.[LNB] 'I think there is now an admiration for these kinds of players, strong ones like Shearer and Davies, because the ones who take the knocks and get on with it are few and far between. I think people recognise Kevin's qualities.[LNB] 'Officials and crowds have got a respect for him because he's not one of those who throws himself all over the pitch to try and get people booked.'[LNB] Megson's comments come on the eve of Bolton's trip to Manchester United, where Davies is once against set to face Patrice Evra, who accused the striker of waging a vendetta against him when the teams met in November 2007. [LNB] Ferguson 'hung out to dry' over Wiley attack, blasts Bolton's MegsonTamudo set to spark transfer tussle as Wigan and Blackburn race for striker[LNB] [LNB]  Explore more:People:Keith Hackett, Gary Megson, Kevin Davies, Patrice Evra, Graham Poll

Source: Daily_Mail