Bruce offers referee apology

13 March 2009 15:18
Steve Bruce has revealed that he sent a letter to referee Lee Probert apologising for his rant after watching his Wigan side lose away at Chelsea.[LNB] The Latics boss was unhappy with the official's performance, particularly when he failed to notice what Bruce thought was a blatant push in the back by Blues ace Frank Lampard on defender Mario Melchiot as he rose to head the late winner.[LNB]At the time the former Manchester United skipper was furious and argued that referees favoured the bigger teams.[LNB]But the 49-year-old has had a fortnight to mull things over and has now accepted the error of his ways.[LNB]"I wrote to the referee of the Chelsea game, expressing my views that I was wrong," he said.[LNB]"I was caught up in the heat of the moment and you sometimes say things you regret. I've been in the game a long time now and I try to take a look at things and coming back on it now I was wrong to criticise him.[LNB]"I hope he accepts my apology."[LNB]CriticismHowever, the former Birmingham manager admitted that he would not be taking back his stinging criticism of referee Stuart Attwell.[LNB]At 26, he is the youngest official in the Premier League, but even that did not save him from criticism after he refereed a bad-tempered affair at the JJB Stadium against West Ham where both Carlton Cole and Lee Cattermole were sent off.[LNB]Both Bruce and counterpart Gianfranco Zola were critical of Attwell's performance with Bruce believing that Hammers captain Lucas Neill should have also been dismissed.[LNB]"The one thing I don't want to do is criticise referees, and to be fair I felt for Stuart Attwell," he added.[LNB]"He has been pushed through because they think he has a talent and unquestionably he has. But I said at the time that maybe it was a little too early for him.[LNB]"In the Premier League given the intensity and ferocity they have to make sure they're not going to be sidetracked and have the presence to be in control of the match.[LNB]"Unfortunately, I think Mr Attwell got it wrong."[LNB]

Source: SKY_Sports