A Scottish linesman has quit after being heavily criticized by irate fans for overturning a penalty decision during a Premier League match.
Steven Craven tendered his resignation after he and his family received torrid abuse by supporters for a week after denying Celtic a spot kick in the 2-1 victory at Dundee United on Oct. 17.
The Scottish Football Association has launched an investigation into Craven's resignation, and SFA chief executive Stewart Regan, Scottish referees chief Hugh Dallas and Drew Herbertson, a member of the SFA's disciplinary committee, met on Monday.
''I hope to conclude the investigation within the next 48 hours,'' Regan said.
The incident puts refereeing in Scotland under the microscope in the same week match official Willie Collum received death threats for awarding Rangers a controversial penalty in the team's Old Firm match against Celtic on Sunday.
Hours after the game, a caller threatened to ''go after'' Collum and his wife and children.
''Willie received a number of threatening calls at his home on Sunday night, one of which was taken by his wife,'' SFA spokesman Darryl Broadfoot told the Daily Record newspaper. ''This kind of behaviour is abhorrent and has no place in football.''
Celtic has written to the SFA seeking clarification on both of the contentious decisions that sparked outrage among the club's fans.
''It's not sour grapes - we just want an explanation for what we feel are strange decisions going against us,'' Celtic manager Neil Lennon said.
UEFA President Michel Platini was in the crowd at the Old Firm match at Celtic Park, and said in an interview with the SFA website on Monday that ''to be a referee I think you have to be a masochist.''
Rangers manager Walter Smith agrees with Platini.
''I think there is a pressure placed on referees just now in every game, not just in Sunday's Old Firm game,'' Smith said.
''There are cameras at most matches and any kind of error that a referee makes is being highlighted. In fact, probably more than errors made on the pitch by players and by managers as well in terms of setting out their teams and tactics.
''We've just got to be careful with that.''
