Marriner is an interesting one as he's probably the most 'out' ref in the PL and has a Villa season ticket. On the one hand having a proper fan in charge is a good thing, but it's difficult to believe that he doesn't give subconscious decisions in games that affect Villa's position. I don't buy the George Ndah rumour though.
This is surely true to some extent with all refs, isn't it? Just that Marriner has made the decision, rightly or wrongly, to spotlight where those biases might lie for him.
It definitely is. The amount of high-profile refs who claim to support no team or that they support a non-league side... let's say I am doubtful of it.
I'd rather they were open about it. Let 'em be fans.
They don't admit to it as it hurts their career. Refs aren't allowed to referee the team that they support, the rivals (normally - Marriner), but also any game that has bearing on your team. If you claimed to support a 'big' six team you'd basically never be able to referee a high-profile game again.
We never used to get Alan Wiley despite him 'supporting' Chasetown
That's really harsh, if understandable.
I've seen him at one of their games at least.
He lives in Burntwood so does go from time to time, but growing up there myself I can tell you that nobody was a Chasetown fan in the 80s apart from a couple of dozen old men let alone earlier than that when Wiley was a kid.
Marriner said to him in a game, possibly for the reserves, that he fucking hates Wolves, which has become a bit of an urban myth
