Final whistle blows on Hugh Dallas' career as it goes from dignity to disgrace

ELEVEN years ago Hugh Dallas was left with blood streaming down his face as fans tried to force him off the park.

The ref garnered huge public sympathy for refusing to bow to the baying pack but by the time Dallas' world came crashing down around him on Friday night there was little pity left.

He came from a hamlet but there was to be no final celebratory cigar for a man whose career became contaminated by controversy, infamy and disgrace.

Bonkle is a tiny village few outside Lanarkshire will know but after three decades at Hampden there will be no one in Scottish football who hasn't heard of Hugh Dallas MBE.

Back in 1982, though, he was as anonymous as the place from which he came. That year marked his refereeing debut as at the age of just 25 he took charge of Motherwell Bridgeworks versus Victoria AFC.

Humble beginnings, yes, but it wasn't long before he had pulled himself out of the lowly Amateur ranks.

In fact, just six years later he was running the line in a European Cup-Winners' Cup clash between Sampdoria and Carl Zeiss Jena. Fast forward a mere 24 months and Dallas was refereeing in Scotland's top-flight. His reputation was soaring and his name was known throughout the world of whistlers.

It seemed that nothing could go wrong and that belief was reinforced when he earned his place on the elite FIFA list.

In 1997, though, his meteoric rise suffered a blow when he was caught up in controversy for the first time.

Dallas had taken charge of a World Cup qualifier between Spain and the Czech Republic and awarded the Spaniards a penalty he later admitted he should never have given.

But with the Czechs denied a place at France 98 on the back of the decision, his confession did little to soothe their anger. Dallas'