Refereeing Standards

[dannylad01]

Is the standard of officiating in the league falling this year? It seems in a lot more games now there are big decisions that are just wrong. Speaking from a Shrewsbury perspective, in our last 9 league games we have had 4 potentially match defining yet basic decisions that have been fundamentally incorrect:

Sheffield United - O'Brien sent off for a last man tackle for a penalty, looked to have won the ball. Decision overturned on appeal. Under the new rules as it was a genuine attempt to win the ball it shouldn't have been a red card in any case (we wouldn't have got anything from this game anyway!!!)

Bolton away - linesman with an unobstructed view flags for a penalty for handball. Referee on the edge of the box behind players waves away the appeal. Phone call from the assessor admitting it was wrong.

Rochdale away - ball kicked out of the keepers hands to a player standing behind him at least 2 yards offside. Ball knocked in the net with no celebration as everyone knew the player was offside. Goal given.

Swindon away - Nsiala sent off and penalty given for a two footed tackle. Second foot nowhere near the player and debate able if it was even a foul as the ball was won. Decision overturned on appeal.

These are just examples I have seen and not meant to be a hard luck story. It's rare for clubs in League 1 to have red cards overturned due to the lack of footage compared to the Premier League, but we've had 2 overturned in 9 games.

It's the in thing to criticise referees at the top level, but they don't see some of the clowns we have to endure in this league! Has it always been this bad?

 

[worried womble]

No mate, they've been this brilliant for years.

 

[darren gregory]

Spot on Dannylad, the standard is hideous. We have won a few games early in the season, where the ref has been truly disgusting , so not sour grapes as we won the game.
My bug bear with it is when Prem refs are demoted and we end up with them. The rules are the same ? So if they are garbage in the Prem they are garbage in lower leagues, yes the game is quicker in the Prem but i,m sure you know what i mean.
Rescinding a red card is after the horse has bolted, too little too late i'm afraid.
Against Fleetwood there was a 15 to 20 man handbags melee, the ref was in difficulty, you actually see on the footage the woman linesperson stood in the penalty area absolutely clueless of what to do.
I would not be a ref or assistant for a gold pig but too often it is all about look at me aren,t i great and little man syndrome.

 

[KeithH]

I thought Steven Dawson reffed the game very well at Scunny on saturday

 

[joethegill]

They're no better or worse than any previous season at third tier level, just the forum for speculating on their deficiencies has widened over the last decade with highlights packages, forums like this and of course social media. The better ones get moved up, the poorer ones go down a level, same as ever, so the standard of this level stays relatively similar every year.

 

[Marked Ox]

We had some really good Refs earlier in the season which has highlighted how bad the poor Refs have been.

 

[Hedonist Puncture]

I thought Steven Dawson reffed the game very well at Scunny on saturday

Dawson is the best ref we have got. He is the captain and uses every moment of it to talk to the ref. It does backfire a lot though and he ends up getting booked.

 

[Look Out There Are Llamas]

I normally find that overt criticism of referees comes from bias and not understanding the laws. #JustSayin'

 

[KeithH]

Dawson is the best ref we have got. He is the captain and uses every moment of it to talk to the ref. It does backfire a lot though and he ends up getting booked.

He is a right shit, just wish he was still our shit!!

 

[KetIron]

If players stopped cheating then referees would have a much simpler job.

Also, as LOTAL said above, fans do not know the laws - and we are prejudiced. Most fans will tell you that their side have not been fairly treated by refs this season, but opposing fans will tell you the opposite. They can't both be right!!