This is why the media perception of our club matters.
With taggart, referees were scared not to give penalties. Had that been the rags at the swamp five years ago, that referee would know that if he wrongly refused to give the penalty he would be absolutely lambasted and it would be all over the media for days, and he will be refereeing at Scunthorpe the following week.
With us, he knows that even a complete stonewall like the one on sterling will have a few lines in the newspaper reports if he doesn't give it, and even though there is pretty much universal agreement that he should have given it, it will be forgotten about the day after tomorrow, and he will be refereeing a top flight game the next weekend.