Collingwood fans called out for ’embarrassing’ Ray Chamberlain act during umpire’s farewell

Many fans at the MCG have come under scrutiny for their reaction at the end of the game. Collingwood supporters faced criticism as boos echoed around the stadium when ‘Razor’ Ray Chamberlain was given a guard of honour after officiating his final game.

Chamberlain, who officiated his 389th and last match in Collingwood’s victory over Melbourne on Friday night, bid farewell after over 20 years in the AFL.

“Never seen you smile so big, Brian,” Chamberlain joked to Brian Taylor before his final game. “Twenty years…it feels like it’s gone in a minute. I think I may have had six good ones too,” he added with a smile. While well-wishes poured in for Chamberlain before the game, the post-match scenes left some viewers with a bad taste.

Both Darcy Moore and Max Gawn, along with their teammates, lined up to applaud ‘Razor’ Ray as he walked down the tunnel. Fans also waved and cheered the popular umpire goodbye. However, the MCG was surprisingly filled with boos from some fans, either in jest or as a taunt after years of his on-field decisions.

Supporters from rival clubs condemned the jeers, calling it an ’embarrassing’ act towards an official who had contributed so much to the game. Others felt the boos were part of the atmosphere, believing that ‘Razor’ Ray would have expected such a reception. The crowd’s response sparked mixed reactions among fans.

Chamberlain, who became a well-known figure after Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor nicknamed him ‘Razor Ray’ early in his career, acknowledged a few years ago that he had grown used to the criticism that comes with being an umpire, though he loved his job.

“Over the years, I’ve come to understand that, generally speaking, people who reference ‘Razor’ don’t actually know me,” he said in 2018. “They only know the umpiring persona, so I’ve learned to compartmentalize it—the good and the bad. When I come home, I’m just dad, or ‘Oi, take the bins out,’ and then when I go to the footy, I deal with whatever happens there. I wouldn’t change any of it.”

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