Fulham Football Club News

• Nickname:Cottagers
• Founded:1879
• Manager:Martin Jol

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Coleman slams Fulham ref

25 Feb 2007 - 12:22:04

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Furious Fulham boss Chris Coleman slammed the performance of referee Peter Walton following Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Manchester United.

The Cottagers chief claimed his side - trailing to Cristiano Ronaldo's 88th minute second for United at the time - should have been awarded a penalty when former Fulham keeper Edwin Van der Sar clattered into Heidar Helguson in the penalty area.

Coleman's outburst is likely to result in an FA fine, but the Welshman claimed he isn't concerned with disciplinary action and only in receiving justice for his side who looked like taking a point off the Premiership leaders.

"I don't know the reason he didn't give that penalty to be honest. The referee has no excuses because it was right in front of him," claimed Coleman.

"There is only one way to put it - he lost his nerve.

"If that challenge was the other way around he would have given a foul on Van der Sar. Anywhere else on the pitch that would have been a free-kick, so it was a penalty.

"If it was at the other end it would have been a penalty. Perhaps he is getting a lift home on their bus. What we needed today was a strong ref and we didn't get one.

"I will get another fine, but nothing will happen to the referee and that is so frustrating. The worst thing that could happen to him is he is demoted for a couple of games."