Police have launched an investigation after referee John Moss had his record shop vandalised.
The Daily Star exclusively reported that the former Premier League official contacted West Yorkshire Police after his 'Vinyl Whistle' store in Headingley, Leeds had been attacked.
The incident took place around 48 hours after Moss came in for huge criticism for his performance in the Championship play-off final between Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield Town last weekend. Moss, who was taking charge of his last game before retiring, denied Huddersfield two penalties as Forest won 1-0 to secure a return to the Premier League and a £170m cash windfall.
Huddersfield fans have lambasted Moss and labelled his performance "absurd". They were quick to blame Moss for having a huge impact on the game and costing their Yorkshire club the chance of a place in the top flight. Supporters took to Twitter to call on the FA to launch an investigation into Moss's performance.
One fan said: "Jon Moss is by far one of the worst referees in the history of football, makes shocking decisions almost every game. Huddersfield have been absolutely robbed of at least one penalty there, if not two!" Another one added: "How were these not given as penalties in the first instance? The fact they were then missed by VAR on both occasions is baffling. It just can’t happen in a game of this magnitude."
It is understood Moss believes the attack on his record shop is related to the abuse he has received from Huddersfield fans since his final match. The Durham-born official, 51, will take up a new role as a Select Group 1 Manager at the PGMOL ahead of next season.
Huddersfield boss Carlos Corberan decided not to criticise the officials after two penalty shouts were turned down in the clash at Wembley. Moss ruled that Harry Toffolo had dived inside the box when challenged by Jack Colback and even went so far as to book the Terriers left wing-back, and VAR opted not to overturn the referee’s decision despite replays showing a clear touch on Toffolo’s ankle as he tried to skip over the challenge.
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Lewis O’Brien later went down inside area after Max Lowe looked to have placed his shin firmly into the back of the Town man’s calf, but unlike the Toffolo incident there was no clear indication within the ground that the decision had been reviewed by VAR. When asked about the incidents, Corberan said: “I didn’t watch them yet but the players that received these fouls were thinking that if they hadn’t received the foul they would have finished the opportunity to attack.
“But you have the VAR and the referee, and if they understand there is no foul, I can’t say anything. The only thing I can do is to accept it. I understand that with only one referee it is complicated but when you have the support of the VAR the possibility to make fair decisions increases, so if they understand it was not a penalty it’s because maybe they were not penalties.”
When pushed about it further, Corberan added: “I have been through the season without VAR and I don’t understand well what the process is. I don’t know if the referee needs to ask to review, I don’t know if the VAR can do something when they see, I don’t know if they can review action when the referee doesn’t ask. But if you have VAR and the referee and they understand that there was no penalty, I only can accept it was not a penalty.”
