A New Low

[BigDogCol]

I've seen some poor performances from officials over the years but today really takes the prize.

Following on from Andre Marriner sending off the wrong player for a yellow card offence at the Chelsea v Arsenal game at lunchtime, the referee at the Hertford v St.Mags decided to go one better.

8 bookings and 2 red cards for a relatively well contested game which the ref ruined for 176 paying fans.

Totally lost control and just proved my theory that assessors present make for fussy and over-officious officials.

We had not one but two assessors plus a moderator there today thus tripling the pressure on the unfortunate yet inept referee. Whatever punitive action this guy gets will not save 2 players from unnecessary suspensions, the ruined contest in a derby game, the points lost and the inevitable fine from the FA.

[Whitley Bay]

I've seen some poor performances from officials over the years but today really takes the prize.

Following on from Andre Marriner sending off the wrong player for a yellow card offence at the Chelsea v Arsenal game at lunchtime, the referee at the Hertford v St.Mags decided to go one better.

8 bookings and 2 red cards for a relatively well contested game which the ref ruined for 176 paying fans.

Totally lost control and just proved my theory that assessors present make for fussy and over-officious officials.

We had not one but two assessors plus a moderator there today thus tripling the pressure on the unfortunate yet inept referee. Whatever punitive action this guy gets will not save 2 players from unnecessary suspensions, the ruined contest in a derby game, the points lost and the inevitable fine from the FA.

So your first Red Card was not for a head-but?

[Monkey8]

So your first Red Card was not for a head-but?

 

Right in front of both dugouts and the linesman...but lets blame the ref for the ill discipline of the player! Zzzzz 

[Jonno]

Lol. Good win today then Monkey? Well done. Nothing sweeter than a derby victory!

[BigDogCol]

So your first Red Card was not for a head-but?

 

Apparently so but the players didn't touch heads. No contact but the visiting player throws himself to the floor, rolling about, holding his face. Red card issued, he gets up without a scratch on him.

[Neutral]

Contact isn't necessary to send someone off

[former no 9]

Apparently so but the players didn't touch heads. No contact but the visiting player throws himself to the floor, rolling about, holding his face. Red card issued, he gets up without a scratch on him.

I bet it was the same individual who tries to get players sent off in every game, mind you, he's good at it, i'll give him that. 

[thevoiceofreason]

I suppose it's the same as always. Everyone has plenty to say about the ref but few are prepared to do the job themselves, I include myself in that 'everyone' by the way, but will also try to be balanced by flagging up instances where a team collectively harasses and abuses the ref from the first whistle to the last ( Take a bow, Chessington and Hook, Friday)

 

Maybe it's easier to take a balanced view when you can put things into perspective and remember that this is an interest and we ARE supposed to be enjoying ourselves, after all.

 

Throwing yourself to the floor etc? Maybe it's worth remembering the level of football you're talking about...the nonsense hasn't really paid huge dividends in this instance, has it?

[Whitley Bay]

I bet it was the same individual who tries to get players sent off in every game, mind you, he's good at it, i'll give him that.

Even more reason no to attempt the head-but then.......

[BigDogCol]

I understand that it's a difficult job but trying to send off a player for a second yellow when the ref hadn't actually booked him in the first place and then falling for the theatrical cheating and a ranting bench is difficult to accept. Our manager was also at fault and didn't behave well by the way.

[Monkey8]

Players touched heads right in front of the main stand and dug outs.

 

A lot of the responsibility should lay with the manager..he was too pumped up and so was his team, flying into challenges and talking back to the ref.

 

The Ref made one mistake and quickly rectified that within seconds.

 

BigDog you need to take off your Hertford Town bins son and see the light! Haha

[BigDogCol]

I just would have liked to see 11 v 11 to see how we matched up in a proper derby. All those cards ruined the spectacle and even the St.Mags players agreed. 2 yellows per side would have been fair. Didn't help that I crushed my thumb in the turnstile mechanism after walking out of the Arsenal game 3-0 down and down to 10 men after 15mins! Bad day all round.

[BlackSnake]

I see nobody has bothered to address your point BigDogCol, too busy blathering on about a headbutt that no one saw because they were all looking down the other end of the pitch at the injured player.

 

The game was not a dirty affair, it did not warrant as many cards as were dished out, the problem is that there is undue pressure on the officials because they know they are being evaluated from the stands. Why should the officials need to know about this before going into the match? An assessor can turn up unannounced and evaluate the referee without him needing to know, then report back at the end of the game. When the FA come round to evaluate a club on their Charter Standard the club is not told so why should it be any different for evaluating officials?

 

It would be very interesting to see a comparison between assessed and non assessed matches. Id like to bet that there are more bookings/red cards & club charges at the assessed matches.

[Dirtyclaret]

Are the refs told they are being assessed?

[BlackSnake]

Are the refs told they are being assessed?

 

They must be as before the match they were all out on the pitch walking around and chatting. There is absolutely no need for it.

[Neutral]

Doesn't the assessor have to listen to the refs pre-match talk as well? So surely that would mean the referee knowing about his presence?

[BigDogCol]

Exactly my point. Everybody knows when an assessor is present and it always appears to be these games when the ref gets card happy and pedantic. The Cockfosters and Biggleswade games sounded like a 90's rave with the whistle been blown so often!

[Septimus]

Referees certainly know they are being assessed, but yesterday the assessor was also being assessed - by a more senior assessor!

[BlackSnake]

Referees certainly know they are being assessed, but yesterday the assessor was also being assessed - by a more senior assessor!

 

Sounds ridiculous!

 

Neutral - Not sure if the assessor has to listen to the ref's pre-match talk but i dont see why it should have a bearing? Maybe Pete the greek can clarify?

 

I think the proof is in the pudding so to speak and the ref yesterday had had far too much...

[Dirtyclaret]

Sounds stone wall to me....don't tell them they're being assessed. Simples!

 

I get that at work, telling us we're being audited so you try really hard to not make mistakes but you end up making more.