PHIL Gartside has called for referees to be made more accountable for the mistakes they make and the controversy they cause.

The Wanderers' chairman has added his voice to the storm of protest stirred by the apparently one-sided performance of Orpington official Barry Knight in Wednesday's 5-3 defeat at Ipswich, where the club's promotion dreams were shattered.

He wants more open assessment with managers and clubs able to question referees' decisions without fear of sanction.

Wanderers are bracing themselves for a triple rap from the FA after disciplinary chiefs called for video evidence from the Ipswich game.

They could face charges of failing to control their players and may be asked to explain their disciplinary record, having had 11 red cards over the season, while Sam Allardyce looks sure to be charged following his claim that Mr Knight was biased in showing 12 yellow and two red cards and awarding Ipswich three penalties.

But Mr Gartside said the manager would receive the full backing of the club and insisted Wanderers were not a dirty side.

"We've got to back Sam in what he said," the chairman said defiantly. "Firstly because of the sheer emotion of the occasion and, secondly, because it was right what he said.

"I can fully understand and appreciate Sam's frustration.

"You have to question the referee's performance but you can't bring the man to account for his actions.

"The consequences are vast, not just in terms of finance but in terms of players' careers. Gudni Bergsson, for instance, who wants to retire and would have stayed on."

Wanderers will write to the FA - as Mr Gartside says "to express our views on the game" - but they also plan to lobby for a change in the appeals procedure, although they are anxious not to be portrayed as sore losers.

"We are saying the system that is in place doesn't allow for the referee to be brought to account for what happened," he explained.

"The assesment process is done in private and you've no right of redress. You can appeal but it ain't going to change the result.

"But, for the benefit of other people, we have to ask why what appeared to be an incompetent performance can't be questioned.

"We've got to be careful that it doesn't seem like sour grapes but what I can't reconcile is that we seem to have been regarded as the bad boys. We are not a dirty team, in fact we've been accused of being soft and not committed enough. What we've seen in the past few weeks has been commitment but we didn't deserve all that the other night.

"Nobody went off injured, other than two of our players - Paul Warhurst and Dean Holdsworth."

Ironically, Wanderers believe the strength of the protest over the last 48 hours will help galvanise the club and the fans who have flooded the Reebok with messages of support and condemnation of the Kent ref.

"This might just help build a stronger rapport between the fans and the club," Mr Gartside suggested. "They've seen the commitment on the field - what we want back now is their commitment."