The man himself has revealed the truth of why he was sent to the dog house: https://therefereesword.blogspot.com/2019/12/time-to-move-on.html?m=1
Can't help but feel bad for the bloke reading that. None of us are summed up by our worst moments, and is seems his was more a case of being tone deaf than malicious. I feel the "fake news" aspect is likely true. Some friends and I have been victim of it before, albeit I think it was just lazy reporting rather than malice in our case. The media certainly has a lot of answer for in many cases.
Something that seems a bit off with all this is how so many people are posting jokes on public message boards and social media that are perhaps even more offensive towards the person in question than the joke which Madley made privately that cost him his job.
God help any of us if we become public figures and our friends in our personal WhatsApp chats decide to post distasteful messages from the previous 10 -15 years...
Interesting article, I'd say anyone, especially someone in a position of influence should think twice before sending something distasteful even if it's to a friend or family member. But trial by twitter is a real issue in my opinion, especially the fake news element. I feel if a top player did that, they'd be slapped on the wrist, sent on a course and booed by opposition fans for a bit and then it'd be forgotten when the next scandal hit. Referees and lower league players are like the rest of us, expendable so trial by twitter is much more damaging to their lives.
If everyone who took the mick out of disabled people etc were sacked there wouldn't be many comdiens left !
Well he is on the way back it seems. https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...to-referee-in-england-two-years-after-sacking