Hopkins should never work again

[David Holden]

This is his track record this season

[eufckev]

Blimey, averaging 8 cards a game. That says it all.

[Harry J Allstars]

Why does he only do games in the M25 area?

 

Isn't that unfair?

 

Can we move to the Lake District?

[Dave EUFC]

Originally Posted By: Harry J Allstars

Why does he only do games in the M25 area?

Isn't that unfair?

Can we move to the Lake District?

I think it said that he was from Essex on Setanta last night... another reason to hate our inbred friends from the other side of the water... can't we just knock down the bridge? I have a sledge hammer...

[David Holden]

Originally Posted By: Dave EUFC

I think it said that he was from Essex on Setanta last night... another reason to hate our inbred friends from the other side of the water... can't we just knock down the bridge? I have a sledge hammer...

He is from Wickford

[Dave EUFC]

Originally Posted By: David Holden

Originally Posted By: Dave EUFC

I think it said that he was from Essex on Setanta last night... another reason to hate our inbred friends from the other side of the water... can't we just knock down the bridge? I have a sledge hammer...

He is from Wickford

Poor b*****d...

[Bill Kent]

Originally Posted By: Harry J Allstars

Why does he only do games in the M25 area?

So that he can escape quickly Paul

[Fleetfanwest]

Agree with every comment re the apology of a referee last night, but what concerns me is our form of late.

We looked like a team of strangers last night, competely bereft of ideas, we should have been playing a passing game, and. on the odd occasion we did it caused Histon problems

Long is a peripheral figure this season and should bedropped,I have not been impressed with Shakes,true he doesn't get the service, but he doesn't deliver and never looks threatening when he does, even George has looked better.

As usual we are persisting with the long ball to Gash and when he does win the ball there is rarely a player near him to benefit.

All LD could say after was 'we gave it a go!!'not good enough and remember Histon are a part-time team who theoretically should not be as fit as us, and tactically we should now also be better with the benefit of full time training.

Liam looked a bit doleful last night(well he usually does anyway)but with his unshaven appearance he looked like he was shaking off a heavy one,he really has got to shake a few people up or our season will be over before it's started.

[oldfan]

I watched the game on TV and thought the sending off was correct (along with the original booking). The players body language in the dressing room seemed to confirm this.

It was also interesting that during the interview at half time with the Crawley manager he thought that the ref had been 'excellent'.

If players will persist in arguing with the referee they will get booked. This not the referees fault as he has been directed to do this by the FA - it is the players (and the manager).

[Yorkshire Fan]

The referee was crap but there's no excuse for so many dissent bookings for us - Charles was the architect of his own misfortune by leaving the ref no alternative in his first booking.

 

In my opinion there should only be the captain talking to the referee (unless the ref asks a player something) and the rest of the time they should keep their gobs shut and get on with what they're being paid to do.

[David Holden]

Originally Posted By: Yorkshire Fan

In my opinion there should only be the captain talking to the referee (unless the ref asks a player something) and the rest of the time they should keep their gobs shut and get on with what they're being paid to do.

What happens when the captain is a goalkeeper and something happens in the other box? Are we going t wait while the keeper sprints 90 yards up the pitch to talk to the ref and then have to go all the way back.

This is why the FA realised that the captain being the only person to speak to the ref just doesn't work.

[oldfan]

So you want the all the players arguing with the ref???

[Yorkshire Fan]

Designate a senior outfield player as 'referee liason' - sorted. Point still stands - there should only be one focal point for communication with the ref.

[oldfan]

I think in the present 'Respect' culture managers have got to instill in their players the fact that they MUST NOT argue with the referee over his decisions. I remember the time when players accepted the referees decision, even if they thought it was wrong, it would be great if this attitude could return but I am not holding my breath.

In more recent times Brian Clough had the 'Respect' attitude and would not allow his players to question the referees decision, I am absolutely certain that this did not put his team at a disadvantage (and may have had the opposite effect!!!)

 

[Stu M]

Originally Posted By: oldfan

It was also interesting that during the interview at half time with the Crawley manager he thought that the ref had been 'excellent'.

It was also interesting that at full-time he'd booked eight players in the space of 25 minutes.

[BustaGut]

Originally Posted By: oldfan

So you want the all the players arguing with the ref???

Make all of the team Captain's,they can all argue then, sorted

[JimGNFC]

Originally Posted By: Digitalis

Well this is only a personal opinion, not an official statement, but Rachel Cheryl and myself have watched the video this morning. Rachel caught on straight away, it took me a several watches to see it, but the Histon players trailing leg does catch the tip of Darius's left foot as he is starting to bring his leg forward. Definitely what caused him to fall in our view.

And the fact that Darius immediately tried to get up and continue play tends to indicate it wasn't a dive, too.

All well and good but as you indicate yourself it took you several watches to see this - the referee doesn't have this luxury does he?

Agreed Charles was very unfortunate with the Red Card but when will Clubs do more to help refs more, especially with the backchat that results in unnessary cards.

The FA are also to blame. TV pundits have long advocated the use of video replay's for in-game decisions. Of course we don't want football to end up like NFL but there is some scope for change that wouldn't impact on a free-flowing game of football. As examples:

a) For critical decisions such as where a red card has been issued the manager can insist the ref looks at the replay of the incident as part of a live game.
During a game, either manager can ask the ref to review up to 2 critical incidents during a live game via replay. This could be used for penalty appeals, disallowed goals etc.

[ahsatan]

better check he is not doing the Salisbury game tonight, they are down to none players, perhaps all the refs have a competition going !!

[ahsatan]

Nine Players ........sorry

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Having said we didnt lose because of the ref, the fact that he missed the blatant handball did potentially cost us the game - a penalty and a goal then & we'd have been 1 up and hopefully settled better.