Dodgy Decisions In Our Favour

[Damo70]

I seem to remember a blatant hand ball from Rambo at home to QPR on Boxing Day 1988. I think he palmed the ball down into his path  so he could run on and score. Their players were going mental. The ref was unsighted behind him and God knows what the linesman was doing.

[Jockey Randall]

Shearer getting sent off and Tayls rubbing his own head in disbelief when he saw the red. Might have been first match of the season?

Good call. We won 1-0 in the end I think as well? I always remember Colin Calderwood, marking Shearer at the time turning round with his arms out and looking like he was thinking 'what the hell has he blown up for?' Before Rennie dished out the red. Taylor's reaction was classic though.

[dave shelley]

I remember an interview with Graham Poll, who basically said that a referee is quite happy for a player to swear at him as he understands that it's normally a heat of the moment reaction. Normal procedure is to give them enough time to calm down and if they then continue then you start getting cards out. I'd also imagine that there are some things that you can't say and will automatically warrant a red card, but I don't think that "f*ck off ref" is going to be at that level.

I forget the chap who posts who is a qualified referee and whether the above is along the lines that he goes with?

With.out appearing to be presumptious  Dave, that could be me you are referring to; and yes Graham Poll is correct in his assessment of that particular situation.  An unwritten law in football is that, in Britain anyway, there has to be a liberal acceptance of what is discriminately referred to as "shop floor language" Imagine if you can if a referee was to send off everyone who swore he'd be a very lonely individual standing there on his own.

What a lot of people don't realise is the wording of the law that covers the dismissal for that particular offence, it's always quoted as he got sent of for using foul and abusive language, when in actual fact it is foul or abusive language, and therein lies a root of confusion.  It may be acceptable to one referee to be called an oaf; shall we say but, to another he may find it abusive and will send off the player for which he will be correct, it would be a rare day that that would happen but do you understand what I am trying to say?

I had a situation when officiating as a linesman during a Southern League match at Redditch versus Dover who had ex-England Peter Taylor as player manager, I flagged him for offside and he called me a "fucking cheat".  I flagged over the referee who asked me what I wanted him to do, I said "send him off".  It wasn't the fucking I objected to it was the fact he called me a cheat.  I may be many things but, a cheat I am not.  Anyway the referee bottled it and didn't even book him and that upset me more.  Afterwards in the boardroom for sandwiches and drinks, Taylor kept trying to make eye contact with me hoping I'd start a conversation about the incident I'm sure but I never gave him the satisfaction.  I've never liked him since.

[peter w]

Great post dave, but in all fairness doing that job your skin has to be a bit thicker. Not the sending off but holding a grudge. As a player you've forgotten you've said it in seconds.

[dave shelley]

You are correct there Peter, and believe me I've got the proverbial hide like a Rhino, you have to have or you wouldn't last five minutes.  This is why so many newly qualified referees don't get beyond their second season.  Regarding the grudge thing, I never held grudges against players, every game started with a clean sheet, I never let what went before influence anything I ever did.

 It's a pity I can't say the same about one individual who I sent off for violent conduct and racism who, over a period of time smashed three of the windows of my house, one of them being the room where my two kids were asleep.  All because he had previous and was dealt with by the Birmingham County FA accordingly.  Mrs S insisted I didn't give up refereeing then as to have done so would have meant he had won.

[PeterWithesShin]

None. Every single decision in our favour for our entire history has been 100% the correct decision.

[ez]

[SX150]

I can't believe people think any different, its that simple.

[dcdavecollett]

True, Dave, we don't know what was said, but why should refs have to put up with abuse anyway?

Excepting Dowd, of course...

[lovejoy]

A pretty minor one, but getting a penalty a couple of years ago because a QPR defender breathed somewhere near Gabby in the six yard box.

It's almost meant that Dunne's last-minute own goal equaliser wasn't so much of a problem as we shouldn't have been in the lead anyway.

A shirt tug, is a shirt tug.

I have never understood the argument "you'd be giving ten a game for decisions like that". Maybe defenders should stop pulling shirts.

Right in front of that and there was a clear pull back on the shirt. Free kick every time.

[Damo70]

I can't believe people think any different, its that simple.

I remember that being exactly what MON said afterwards and TSM disagreed. So much so that on principal ever since he has boycotted any attempt to get any of his players in the opposition penalty area as he doesn't agree with the rules.

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

None. Every single decision in our favour for our entire history has been 100% the correct decision.

This. :-D

[Damo70]

The noses can't moan about any penalties we get against them. The contrived last minute penalty for Frank Worthington to score the winner in the last minute of his testimonial was a disgrace! As was the fact that he got a testimonial at a ground where he had played for about three years. And a bird shat on my head during the game!

[frankmosswasmyuncle]

The noses can't moan about any penalties we get against them. The contrived last minute penalty for Frank Worthington to score the winner in the last minute of his testimonial was a disgrace! As was the fact that he got a testimonial at a ground where he had played for about three years. And a bird shat on my head during the game!

Good luck is that!
;-)

[sg]

Ashley Young...

The home game vs Rapid Vienna in 2009, i didnt go to the game and had the pleasure of watching on ch.5 with Sir Graham commentating.  Ashley Young was 'fouled' twice for both penalties (he missed one, and milner scored the other), but both of the incidents were pretty laughable. I distinctly remember the 2nd decision being so bad that Sir Graham went silent when it was shown on the replay. Fortunately it didnt get shown again, unfortunately... karma came back to bite us in the arse and we went out on away goals.