The Ref

[Donnywolf]

was Woeful , Abject , Nonsensical , Krap , and Effin , Rubbish


Do I need to spell it out ?

[mushRTID]

We’re not helping ourselves but I’m completely sick of these idiots.

Their goalie deliberately taking ages over goal kicks, was basically waiting long enough for the wind to then blow the ball.

Did it loads of times and I don’t recall the ref even having a word.

[In the box]

Ref was just another ref who’d never played the game and just read about it .He wasn’t to blame today the lads just couldn’t handle the conditions and being put under pressure for 90 mins

[roversdude]

was Woeful , Abject , Nonsensical , Krap , and Effin , Rubbish


Do I need to spell it out ?

He wasn’t that good DW

[Padge_DRFC]

Thought he was their keeper's best mate

[keith79]

He played better than we did

[The Beast]

Thought he was their keeper's best mate

I noticed that he seemed really pally with their players and confrontational with ours. Maybe it was my biased perception or maybe we’re not playing the game properly. I once read how John Fashanu used to learn the name of the ref’s wife etc and struck up a relationship with them, he found he could get away with the first couple of offences. I always noticed when Savage played against us it was almost like he was in the ref’s ear all the time, like he was basically pulling the ref’s strings. It’s not noble, just or pretty but if it gets you a few points to sneak into promotion, everyone’s happy.

[CJK]

Awful performance. Inconsistent with decisions, not interested in time wasting. What does Ironside have to do to get a foul? May as well take his shirt off and give it to the defender. But the ref just gives the impression he doesn't understand the game. Another useless idiot.

[NigelJ]

First half: Minimum of 2 minutes added time shown. Amount of time ball was in play after 45 minutes were up must have been less then 20 seconds. Pathetic.

[Donnywolf]

We’re not helping ourselves but I’m completely sick of these idiots.

Their goalie deliberately taking ages over goal kicks, was basically waiting long enough for the wind to then blow the ball.

Did it loads of times and I don’t recall the ref even having a word.

I said at one stage the keeper was missing a trick because he was taking 30 plus seconds for EVERY goal kick

Just think 20 goal kicks in a half is only 35 minutes of ball in play , and now 20 seconds per throw is commonplace so 18 of them is another 6 minutes gone so only a maximum of 29 minutes of ball in.play in a half

However I have digressed,  so back to the keeper . I CANNOT believe he didn't take a free kick.or goal kick WHEN the ball was moving just to make the Ref pull it back for a moving ball

He really missed a trick imo because he would have taken 30 seconds for original kick , then could waste another 30 seconds for the retakeo

[danumdon]

All we can ask of these lower league Refs is some consistency and balance with just a hint of sticking to the rule book.

When you get another red who struggles to do this because he allows foul play, time wasting and play acting and simulation to continue aright from the off without putting a stop to it early on then they der serve all the grief and condemnation they receive.

Another thing, i'd like to see a linesman for once in a blue moon actually do the job he's there to do, it seems we just have puppets running lines these days with the incompetent in the middle making all the decisions. WTF is the point of them?

[Pancho Regan]

I agree with all the above comments.

Obviously I’m always biased towards Rovers and it is part and parcel of the match day experience to slag off the ref.

But this clown today really got under my skin. The game was already bad enough without him making it even worse.

The whole time-wasting thing in today’s game is spoiling the experience.
The ‘powers that be’ seemed to recognise this a couple of years ago and took steps to address it, including adding much more extra time to each half.
For the first time in my memory, players stopped over-celebrating and milking every goal, ‘keepers got on with goal kicks, play-acting was reduced.
Brilliant, I thought. This is a huge improvement.

All that has gone.

‘Credit’ to their ‘keeper for wasting at least 5 minutes over the course of the game today, I hope he looks back with pride on that part of his performance.

As mushRTID says above, he deliberately waited as long as possible after placing the ball for goal kicks and free kicks, knowing full well that the wind would blow the ball away and he could re-set and waste even more time.

Why didn’t the ref clock this and take action? We could all see it!

After all Cheltenham’s time-wasting, the minutes were ticking away towards the end of the game and Rovers were trying to force a winner.
We got a free kick near the touch line in front of the dugouts and we attempted to take it quickly.
The ref insisted on moving the ball ONE FOOT nearer the touch line from where we were preparing to take the kick.

Grant went ape-shit.
The ref theatrically paused play and strutted towards Grant, then brandished a yellow card, with all the flourish of a magician producing a bunch of flowers from up his sleeve.

What a total f**king t**t.

[jmt23]

Just for some balance, he did allow us to play on when Senior was taken out and led to the Molly goal - I’m not sure many others would have, he then showed a yellow to the Cheltenham player, so that was really good officiating.

[danumdon]

Does anyone know why they changed the rule for dead ball and goal kicks, you used to have to take the goal kick from the side it went out, now they can take it from whatever side they want adding more time wasting to the pot. Seemed a very pointless change to make as it added nothing to the game and slowed it down more!

[Pancho Regan]

Does anyone know why they changed the rule for dead ball and goal kicks, you used to have to take the goal kick from the side it went out, now they can take it from whatever side they want adding more time wasting to the pot. Seemed a very pointless change to make as it added nothing to the game and slowed it down more!

They did it to stop time-wasting danumdon.

Brilliant idea, eh?

[Dagenham Rover]

Does anyone know why they changed the rule for dead ball and goal kicks, you used to have to take the goal kick from the side it went out, now they can take it from whatever side they want adding more time wasting to the pot. Seemed a very pointless change to make as it added nothing to the game and slowed it down more!

It changed some time ago its ruddy stupid and allows timewasting


They did it to stop time-wasting danumdon.

Brilliant idea, eh?

[PDX_Rover]

We should have had a penalty when Ironside (I think) was wrestled to the ground late in the second half. Pretty blatant.

[Alan Southstand]

It was in the added on time, PDX, and, by that time, I was making my way to the exit and was close to it. Definate penalty but with a clown ref, you can’t expect him to get that call right. He must have soiled himself at the thought of having to make the decision.

[BillyStubbsTears]

We should have had a penalty when Ironside (I think) was wrestled to the ground late in the second half. Pretty blatant.

I wasn't at the game yesterday so watched on video. Stuck on penalty. The defender had both arms wrapped around Ironside as he was trying to turn and shoot.

The officials have totally lost control of those situations in the past 2-3 years.

[drfchound]

We should have had a penalty when Ironside (I think) was wrestled to the ground late in the second half. Pretty blatant.

I wasn't at the game yesterday so watched on video. Stuck on penalty. The defender had both arms wrapped around Ironside as he was trying to turn and shoot.

The officials have totally lost control of those situations in the past 2-3 years.

Totally agree.
I said just the same thing coming a away from the ground.

[Jimmydee]

I’ve played in those conditions and I can remember that another player would hold the ball in place with one finger whilst the dead ball was being kicked from there.
Surely that could still apply without it being considered as handball?

[Donnywolf]

Does anyone know why they changed the rule for dead ball and goal kicks, you used to have to take the goal kick from the side it went out, now they can take it from whatever side they want adding more time wasting to the pot. Seemed a very pointless change to make as it added nothing to the game and slowed it down more!

They did it to stop time-wasting danumdon.

Brilliant idea, eh?

Yes a brilliant idea to lose less play

Another , altering rule that ball has to travel outside Penalty area for same reason

And yet another ? Having multi ball system

All designed to save game time , and all doing the opposite

And the sooner the Game introduces a fixed 30 minutes in each half ( average Ball in Play time is less than 60 minutes in Premiership) the better

And here's one way it may come about but I really hope not

Referees must have been instructed to lose less game time ( I never say speed up play ) by determining whether a Player injured or faking injury actually needs Medical help and one day one of them will slip up and a Player will be on the Pitch needing urgent attention and the Ref will be deciding whether he is faking injury or if injured whether he can play on with whatever injury and so "save time"

I'm not sure if Refs are or have to be First Aid trained , someone will tell us , but their attempts to keep game time high by playing God themselves is a very very dangerous way to go

Just think of the recent injuries and heart problems across the world. Does Christian Eriksen need someone deciding whether or not he needs Medical attention . NO he needs Medical attention

It can't just be me that thinks this playing God is wrong , or maybe people haven't thought about it or think I'm talking crap , but think about it

Refs are wasting time and possibly denying urgent attention to an injured Player JUST to try to stop them time wasting

Oh , but wait , does it work , does it do what the Refs think ?

Well I would say NO it doesn't and I offer this as very recent proof.

Added Time at end of 1st Half yesterday was 2 minutes and of course it was shown exactly on 45 minutes

Their keeper then took a goal kick taking 32 seconds and then the ball came into our half and was played forwards to NE corner where Moly was tackled and stayed down ( q why would he stay down to time waste ? ). Ball eventually goes out and then Ref spends more than a minute * assessing Moly

* Don't forget ironically Ref is trying to lose less game time and keep game going.

Eventually Moly got up and Ref blew for HT on 47 minutes 32 seconds ish so did the Ref spend the 1 minute working out if Moly needed attention wisely ?

Of course not. 2 mins 32 added so we we promised a minimum of 2 minutes Added Time and we got 2 32 or 1 minute or less of ball in play time

In reality Moly could have been in real trouble needing attention

Here's my suggestion. Fixed time clock. Moly yesterday goes down . Ref stops play . Clock stops and Moly gets attention

No time lost whatsoever. We don't get as frustrated and the Half continues till the Clock runs down

I realize as well that the keepers 32 seconds kick wouldn't have happened with a fixed Clock because there would never ever be any added time.

[Campsall rover]

It is really concerning regarding the standard of refereeing in league 2 at present.
As said what are the linesmen ( assistant refs ) supposedly doing.
How could the limo on West stand not see Joe Ironside’s shirt being almost ripped off his back in the 2nd half.
Also 2 penalties of which one was blatant not given by the ref.

Cheltenham allowed to take throw ins from where they wanted. We were not allowed to move a foot with ours.
As for Keepers antics on time wasting, I am lost for words.

What has happened to the post World Cup added time.
For a few months only we got 10/15 mins added time in many game.

The question is what are the Ref assessors saying in their reports and what action is being taken to address all the above mentioned and more.
It would seem absolutely nothing.

This needs sorting big time because it’s killing the game and fans are getting tired of it. We will lose football fans from the game that is a definite.

[Donnywolf]

In short your 2 last sentences are " nail on head"

I can't seem to get through to people that they and I are paying to watch a game of Football

Instead we are getting ever more players and Teams devising ways to NOT provide what we have paid for.

I've seen Keepers this Season on I guess 1500 quid a week actually missing balls rolled to them by Ball Boys.

They are taking the P... ( out of the likes of you and I ) and the authorities need to sort it

[dknward2]

Idea to stop opposition goal keeper from taking ages over goal kicks, as soon as the keeper puts the ball down the crowd starts counting would put pressure on the ref and player to get on with it, could also work with throw ins

[roversdude]

Camps it’s the same for holding at corners that they introduced at one of the tournaments and carried over into the league for a while-they must have got fed up of giving penalties.
My big point of contention is “head injuries” if a player goes down holding their head they should have to go off for a set time to be assessed, it’s become a tactic to stop attacks I’m afraid.
Time wasting (and inept refs not dealing with it) are killing the game

[Dutch Uncle]

My big point of contention is “head injuries” if a player goes down holding their head they should have to go off for a set time to be assessed, it’s become a tactic to stop attacks I’m afraid.
Time wasting (and inept refs not dealing with it) are killing the game

I posted this a couple of weeks ago:

Complicated but how would this be for the professional game:

1: Independent medically trained official at each match as member of officiating team
2: Every injury where a player goes down for more than say 10 seconds clutching his head - mandatory 10 minutes off the pitch with assessment from 'medical referee'. A concussion sub is allowed on.
3: After 10 minutes, if the injured player is not fit to continue, sub stays on
4: After 10 minutes, if the injured player is fit to continue the medical referee makes an assessment of whether the injured player had a real knock, or is feigning injury.
          a: If real, then team can choose whether injured player returns or sub continues
          b: If assessed as feigned, sub has to come off and team carries on one player light

Might need a tweak for the last 10 minutes of the game, but that should stop tactical feigned head injuries

I would now add:

If clearly feigned, player receives a yellow card, or red if in last 10 minutes of game. Hopefully video evidence of incident available to help with this decision.

[Filo]

Do as they do in Rugby and allow the physio’s on during play

[roversdude]

My big point of contention is “head injuries” if a player goes down holding their head they should have to go off for a set time to be assessed, it’s become a tactic to stop attacks I’m afraid.
Time wasting (and inept refs not dealing with it) are killing the game

I posted this a couple of weeks ago:

Complicated but how would this be for the professional game:

1: Independent medically trained official at each match as member of officiating team
2: Every injury where a player goes down for more than say 10 seconds clutching his head - mandatory 10 minutes off the pitch with assessment from 'medical referee'. A concussion sub is allowed on.
3: After 10 minutes, if the injured player is not fit to continue, sub stays on
4: After 10 minutes, if the injured player is fit to continue the medical referee makes an assessment of whether the injured player had a real knock, or is feigning injury.
          a: If real, then team can choose whether injured player returns or sub continues
          b: If assessed as feigned, sub has to come off and team carries on one player light

Might need a tweak for the last 10 minutes of the game, but that should stop tactical feigned head injuries

I would now add:

If clearly feigned, player receives a yellow card, or red if in last 10 minutes of game. Hopefully video evidence of incident available to help with this decision.

It really needs something as it’s becoming a tactic almost like the bloodgate one in rugby a few years ago

[Padge_DRFC]

What happened to the stop the clock idea every time the ball isn't in play?