No player should assault the ref, and though it was assault,it was a shove. It wasn't as if he punched him.
Shouldn't have done it, several games ban and a fine,but then move on.
Scroll down on the YouTube link and there are highlights of the 1935 F.A. cup final, "Sheff-eeled" Wednesday v West Brom. The keepers took a right battering back then (towards the end of the clip)
Big Ron started this all those years ago. In interviews or match commentary he'd always refer to players by their nickname, or at least what he considered their nickname.
it doesn't help us when the manager comes out with stuff like "it's their (the opposition's) cup final". It just gees the opposition up and at the same time makes us look arrogant at worst, deluded at best. What have we achieved over the last 20 years? We need to move on (forwards) but that won't happen until we take a look in the mirror and acknowledge where we are today