Newell in trouble

[Beefy]

Luton have called an emergency board meeting for 1600 GMT to discuss boss Mike Newell's attack on female officials and chairman Bill Tomlins.

The Hatters are understood to be unhappy with Newell's remarks, which were made after Saturday's 3-2 home defeat by QPR.

The Football Association has already confirmed it will look into Newell's verbal attack on lineswoman Amy Rayner.

Newell was also highly critical of Tomlins' running of the club.

A Luton statement said: "The meeting is to discuss the comments made by the manager, Mike Newell, at Saturday's post-match press conference.

"A formal statement will be made following the board meeting."

Newell said he thought the club had gone backwards since Tomlins took over two years ago, with a proposed move to a new stadium showing no signs of progress, plus he claimed the chairman would soon be leaving Kenilworth Road.

Newell said: "I have not spoken to the chairman for months. I cannot understand what he is doing here.

"The club has gone backwards off the pitch during the last two years. He has not made any decisions and he has contributed nothing.

"Everything he has got involved in, he has messed up. I am not considering my own future because, apparently, he is going.

"I will not suffer fools - I never have and I never will.

"There are players out of contract at the end of the season but nothing is being done. I am up to my eyes in it."

In his post-match press conference, Newell also hit out at Rayner for her performance in the game at Kenilworth Road.

The former Everton and Blackburn striker was unhappy that Rayner and referee Andy D'Urso failed to award his side a spot-kick when QPR defender Marcus Bignot tangled with Carlos Edwards in the penalty box.

"It is bad enough with the incapable referees and linesmen we have but if you start bringing in women, you have big problems," said Newell.

"This is Championship football. This is not park football, so what are women doing here? It is tokenism, for the politically-correct idiots.

"She should not be here. I know that sounds sexist but I am sexist, so I am not going to be anything other than that."

Rayner has already received the full backing of referee's chief Neale Barry, QPR's Bignot and England international Rachel Yankey.

Arsenal Ladies star Yankey told BBC Five Live: "She has the qualifications to officiate at Championship level and to say she should not be there is totally unfair.

"Amy Rayner earned the right to be an assistant referee in that game.

"Amy is a role model. Football remains a male-dominated sport but she has the bravery to do something she loves.

"If the decision was wrong he might attack the assistant referee but he should not say she should not be in the game simply because she is a woman.

"Games mean so much to managers and maybe he made those comments out of rage but it cannot be condoned."

Last month Newell was warned as to his future conduct by the FA after being found guilty of abusing a match official.

[sportbilly]

newell has just apologised live on skysports news for his comments on female officials

[Jibbers]

I think he will wake up unemployed tomorrow!!

[lfc junkie]

i think he has a point!

i see it like this

Male players - Male Officials
Female Players- Female Officials