Category One referees in Scotland have voted for strike action, placing this coming weekend’s fixtures in doubt.
Match officials north of the border are reportedly unhappy with the level of flak that they have come under this term, with officials unhappy that their integrity has been called into question while also feeling that they have a lack of support.
The refs held a meeting on Sunday afternoon, at which the decision to take strike action was backed unanimously, with former referee Kenny Clark telling BBC Scotland: “Referees are at the end of their tether, and it's not just how it's impacting on them but it's the impact it's all having on their families and business lives.
"Businesses in which referees are employed are being targeted by fans sending hate emails to employers saying things like, 'why are you employing this guy?'"
The most high-profile incident this season saw referee Dougie McDonald overturn the decision to give Celtic a penalty in a game against Dundee United, and then receive a Scottish Football Association warning for lying about his reasons for doing so.
The instance continues to leave the Bhoys fuming and last week their chairman Jim Reid called for McDonald’s resignation, claiming his position was untenable.
An overhaul of the disciplining process for refereeing is in the pipeline in the wake of the incident, but referees have been left feeling isolated, and could now be giving next weekend a miss.
That could lead to the postponement of six Clydesdale Bank Premier League games, as well as fixtures in the Scottish Football League, ALBA Challenge Cup and Scottish Cup.
The SFA has not commented on the matter.