In the past hour, Falkirk winger Myles Hippolyte has been issued, and has accepted, a 2 game ban from the SFA Compliance Officer for diving in the Pars v Falkirk game on Saturday. This proves what we all knew, but does not help Dunfermline losing a crucial goal, and in the process being denied the chance to achieve a promotion play-off place. After the game, Falkirk manager Peter Houston refused to criticise his player. Losing 1-0 and without a serious effort on target, Hippolyte dived without making contact with Pars keeper Sean Murdoch, and was rewarded with a penalty kick which Falkirk equalised from. The Scotsman reported the incident as follows: 'Dunfermline Athletic were left fuming after Falkirk were awarded a penalty following an elborate dive from Myles Hippolyte, which involved a somersault. The Pars were leading 1-0 through a first half Nicky Clark goal when Hippolyte took a tumble in the box as Dunfermline goalkeeper dove at his feet to push the ball out for a corner. The incident was picked up by footage from Dunfermline who shared it on their official Twitter account. It shows Hippolyte spotting his opportunity, planting his foot beside Murdoch’s hand before springing forward then over.' Instead of condemning his player, Houston merely said: "I didn't see it. But if the referee gives it, it's a penalty." This is the same Houston who has a history of alleging refereeing corruption against his own team. In December 2016, after Dunfermline were awarded a penalty against Falkirk, Houston had this to say: "The referee gave them a bit of help. How he can tell the ball hit our player on the hand, I don't know. I thought they needed a bit of help to get the goal and the referee was willing to do that." So much for, "if the referee gives it, it's a penalty." In October 2015, after a Rangers v Falkirk game, Houston accused referee John McKendrick of being influenced by the Rangers manager and coaches: “The Rangers manager and backroom staff were having a right pop at the referee going up the tunnel at half time about giving them nothing," said Houston. "He certainly gave them something in the second-half. You wonder if pressure like that has got to the referee. I don't know. I am totally aggrieved with the fact that he gave a foul against us when Tom Taiwo clearly won the ball and the man fell into him and went down. It was never a free-kick in a month of Sundays. It was not a foul. Shocking decision. It cost us the match, 100 per cent. For me the referee has cost us a couple of points today. I went into see him. He is reporting me to the association for my language." So much for, "if the referee gives it, it's a penalty." In October 2010, when manager of Dundee United, Houston had this to say about referee Dougie McDonald:
“He always awards penalties against us and could not point to the spot quickly enough. I don’t know what goes through his head, but it looked like he couldn’t get his finger pointing at the spot quickly enough when he awarded the penalty. I’ve seen it again on the monitor, and it was never a penalty. The referee’s performance today was below average. I need a more consistent performance than that from a referee." So much for, "if the referee gives it, it's a penalty." Meanwhile, in another incident involving his own team, Houston had this to say in May 2016 when referee Alan Muir failed to award Hibs a penalty against Falkirk in a promotion play-off semi final game. TV footage showed that a penalty should have been awarded. Houston said: “I didn’t see it.” (Sound familiar?). He then trotted out that old cliche: “These decisions even themselves out over a season.” There is no honour in cheating, or in inventing conspiracy theories, as Peter Houston is on record doing. His denial of the Hippolyte dive reflects very badly on him and his club. Finally - and this is particularly Falkirk fans who have read this blog this week, many of whom have been abusive, I want to make the following very clear: I have no time for cheats: I would never want to see our club resort to such behaviour in order to win a game. Football should be won fairly, even if mistakes contribute towards a goal. Without fair play, the game is dead. In October 2016, Joe Cardle was booked for diving in a Challenge Cup game against Queen's Park. Here's what Pars Review said about it: "The first half's main incident was when Joe Cardle tried and failed to get a penalty by diving, only to be correctly yellow carded by referee Nick Walsh. It was an embarrassing dive, and a deserved yellow card. This has to stop." Diving has no place in football. Neither does hypocrisy. I would rather lose than win a game by cheating.
29 Comments
Pars Review
25/4/2017 18:04:10
Thank you - I had reservations about posting it due to the level of abuse I have received here in recent articles (most of the comments have been removed), and I anticipate more of the same today, sadly. I appreciate your comment.
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fud
25/4/2017 16:09:20
you weren't getting into the play-offs anyway ya munter
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FFC
25/4/2017 16:19:32
Mind n dinni greet ya Baw
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Swings and Roundabouts
25/4/2017 16:20:54
Just ignoring the Dunfermline dive which was spotted during the game? Yeah Hippolyte was looking for a penalty but Hopkirk was also trying to fool the Ref
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Gthing
25/4/2017 16:27:55
Dirty cheating six fingered falkirk
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par skelper
25/4/2017 17:43:03
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par skelper
25/4/2017 17:43:38
get it roond ye
FFC
25/4/2017 18:41:49
😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴😴
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Stu
25/4/2017 16:43:50
Doesn't matter who you support, diving is cheating and I was embarrassed to see it from my own team - no doubt about it. However the constant greeting I've seen over my news feed recently is stressing me out. It's as though pars fans are forgetting that one of their players also tried to con the referee and got booked. There is no difference apart from one was inside the box and one wasn't. Both cheats. Pot kettle. Yous were never getting in the play offs anyway so pipe down
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dafc
26/4/2017 11:35:28
Had every chance of play off we have Morton this weekend and their last game is Dundee united...
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Richard cadette
25/4/2017 16:52:47
it was town in the town of dunfermline, where a loyal supporter of falkirk lay dying, shot by a dunfermline gun, as he lay on the terraces dying... he turned to the crowd and he said....
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Parhater
25/4/2017 16:57:21
So will your player who dived be getting a 2 game ban?
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Rufus
25/4/2017 17:34:37
Now this is all over will you apologise to the Falkirk fans for the names and language used against, them. I was saddened to read that we have come down to this level
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Pars Review
25/4/2017 18:06:41
Are you serious?! I have a record of deleted replies from Falkirk fans that would shock you - personal threats and abuse! Don't expect any apology from me unless you know what I have had to put up with over the past few days.
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Singhds1
25/4/2017 20:01:11
One senses you have a rather mighty chip on your shoulder. Have you seen a shrink yet?
par skelper
25/4/2017 17:35:44
stop yer moaning, fifing basterts the lot ae yees
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Sir Jones
25/4/2017 17:59:46
Filth has no conscience.
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Bairnagain
25/4/2017 18:26:59
You have far too much time on your hands. You got beat get over it!!
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Houstie Hardcore
25/4/2017 18:41:16
You don't like cheating?? What about the Pars financial doping, 0p in the pound bring back any memories?? By your logic all your achievements (granted they fit on the back of a stamp)in the last 17 years should be expunged, never mind a penalty!
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Stevie Laing
25/4/2017 22:07:00
Maybe if your post wasnt as bias and reeled of bad blood and hatred of Falkirk FC you wouldnt get such negative responses.Football is a passionate game.and i understand your dissapointment and anger however thats football...diving is every bit as bad as influencing the referees decisions and the Dunfermline players surrounded him time and time again in an attempt to do just that....this is also CHEATING.....dry your eyes and take it on the chin....Falkirk 2 Dunfermline 1 no amount of bleating will change that...im sure the ever so sporting Dunfermline players would have refused the kind offer of a penalty if the boot was on the other foot.....
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Alec ffc
25/4/2017 23:35:19
Dunfermline r shit end of
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Michael Coyne
25/4/2017 23:56:48
You realise here is photographic evidence of your keeper going into and through hippolytes legs, you realise that don't you.
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Pars Review
26/4/2017 05:21:35
Did you read the last few lines of the article, re-Pars players diving?
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Michael coyne
26/4/2017 09:56:03
Am I disputing this fact? I know he got to the ball but he also got tangled up in hippolytes legs. However theatrical Myles reaction was there WAS contact. You have not said weather or not any pars manager has, past or present, reacted like Houston though. Are you honestly trying to say your manager always speaks the truth even if it does mean challenging all refereeing errors, even if it's in your favour? This is the most baffling issue from your article.
Stupac
26/4/2017 11:43:18
Remember when your team went in to administration and you cheated businesses out of thousands of pounds.
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William Fowler
26/4/2017 19:11:33
I can’t believe the ill informed, unthinking comments coming from some Falkirk supporters. I am with you all the way when you say that the game is totally meaningless if a match is won by cheating and this goes for any team including Dunfermline Athletic. I fervently hope that if any of Athletic’s players are guilty of diving then the management would publicly condemn it. It is up to the SFA to have a more determined policy to get cheating out of the game. Post match penalties for cheating should be much more severe, including the possible deduction of points for the cheating team and again this includes Dunfermline Athletic
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ffc1876
27/4/2017 09:10:17
Get it right round ye ya absolute roaster.
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