affect referees performances. The recently appointed manager of Hibernian, Colin Calderwood, was supportive of the strike, but insisted managers had the right to voice their opinions, detailing how there had been concerns in every match he been in charge of up to the strike, and suggested guidelines could be issued to managers on appropriate commentary of referees by managers. While generally supportive and understanding of the referees position, Rangers manager Walter Smith criticised the broad nature of their criticism, and their desire for every club to state they would not question referees integrity. Claiming that his club had never questioned referees integrity, he called on the referees to specifically name the people they believe were questioning their integrity. As the talks to avert the strike ended, the chief executive of the SPL Neil Doncaster said of the strike that they were "sympathetic towards referees and the criticism they have received in recent weeks, but the way to address concerns is through dialogue, not to walk away from the situation". David Longmuir, chief executive of the SFL, reiterated that they had admiration and support for referees, but that "as a result of the action, many of our clubs and supporters will feel let down". Fraser Wishart, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association Scotland, stated he could not 100% support the strike, feeling aggrieved at the fact the discussions between the SFA and the referees in the intervening week between announcement and strike, had been done 'behind closed doors', and would likely "bring in tougher regulations that will see our members being hammered". It was initially advised on Thursday that 11 of the 20 scheduled games would proceed, including all SPL games, with all but one Scottish Football League match postponed. First Division clubs Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion, who were among the clubs affected, stated that they would seek compensation from the SFA for the financial effects of rescheduling, citing the example of the cost of having already printed programmes for the games and of staffing commitments. The SNP Leader and First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond, Scottish Labour Party Sport spokesperson Bill Butler, and Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Tavish Scott, all expressed their hope that the strike could be avoided through discussion between the referees and the SFA. Grahame Smith, General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress supported the strike, describing any referee who officiated as a