Just so you know where I'm coming from

After five years of reffing and of constant exposure to football at its highest and lowest levels, I'm driven to conclude that cheating, lying, manipulating and simulating is common currency throughout the game. From the 17-year-old south Londoners who said they were going to knife members of my son's team after the match, to players claiming throw-ins from 70 yards away, to players falling to the ground as though felled by a hunting rifle - only to be perfectly fit two minutes later, the game is in a sorry state. Players are frequently encouraged by managers, spectators and media pundits to break the laws of the game and cheat. So who do we blame for this? Of course, the referee and linesmen, the only true neutrals on the field. It's alright lads, cheat away, we can always blame the ref!