I know there’s other threads

The biggest issue I have is that managers and clubs can't say **** all about refereeing performances because basically they're going to get the book thrown at them.
I've said this for a long time but referees are awarded far too much protection and it's absolutely pathetic. They should be held fully accountable and have to explain their decisions. The problem is they aren't held accountable and they can go from one game to the next making ******* horrendous decisions without fear of being questioned or demoted. I'd love to know what score the assessor gave today's referee!

 

It's not exactly unrealistic to think that a referee would take a few quid to give or not give a decision. Doesn't mean they have an agenda or conspiracy, just that they can be bought. Does that mean today's ref was? Not at all.
I do firmly believe it happens within football though at times

 

Fwiw (and not excusing the plonker at all) but I think today's ref bottled it as its in the first 15 mins. We've all seen yellow card tackles not get a booking as it's early in the game. I think he wasn't 100%, doesn't want to "ruin" the game and has **** himself when it came to a big decision. That's all I have.....

 

Bottled it? It’s Burton in a 7k capacity stadium. Just don’t get why we’re on the wrong end of so many of these penalty decisions, it’s beyond ridiculous.

 

I said at half time, he'll look at that, realise he's cocked up and give us summat in the second half to make ammends.
I was wrong.

 

We ought to have had a penalty, all things considered.

We didn't get one. That's football.

Anything else is superfluous dross.

 

You win some, you lose some is the saying. Only we lose them all it seems….

 

No offence ST, but you've come to that conclusion entirely on your own, so that doesn't mean anything. 'Does that mean today's ref was (bought)'? Only you can answer your own theory, but the implication is there because you came up with it, otherwise why mention it in the first place? Someone shared an excellent piece on refereeing recently, centered around my old school mate Darren England (a lovely fella ), which was a real eye opener into modern day refereeing. On your theory, I just don't think it's worth all the training and effort they put in nowadays to climb the leagues to take a cheap bung on a league 1 game; they are so scrutinised now that if they were doing that they'd likely drop down the leagues faster than you can say 'Vanarama North.'

I've no doubt today's ref will be given the benefit of the doubt based on one decision. It was an appalling decision, one that I hope Duff will be making another phone call about to the refs association or whoever first-thing after the bank holiday. The ref may not have had the benefit of a second look a la VAR, but surely referees need to take some form of eye test, and any referee worth his salt, and with decent vision, could tell that was a deliberate handball today. But was he paid to wave away the protests of Norwood etc, or do refs accept bungs to overrule similar scenarios? I highly, highly doubt it. Does it make it any more bearable? Absolutely not. That's why I'm still seething at events that unfolded on March 28th 1998 when the man in charge should have received a custodial sentence. These decisions can make or break a season, as well we know. But that’s football, every club has their own story to tell on the woes of an entirely inept referee (or 3).

 

Yes he bottled it. Nothing do to with the size of the crowd, but the ref will have known that giving a penalty and red card would’ve effectively ended the game as a contest after 12 minutes. So he chose to find some doubt to give the benefit of.

If that had happened 12 minutes from the end, or if the team heavily favoured to win the game had committed the offence, the referee would’ve given the pen and red card without hesitation.

 

What I was implying was that the football authorities and referees organisation is corrupt and will cover up any **** ups by its referees and deny that a mistake has been made. It's happened many many times

 

You said they can be bought. That's a different thing altogether.

 

Yes and I believe they can. Why wouldn't they be able to be? Referees are human and people are bought in a lot of professions, especially one where people have a lot of money at stake.

 

Could happen of course, I think it highly unlikely though.

 

Derby got a penalty in the first minute today... JS

 

The ref v Bolton at home had no such hesitancy, with a crowd more than double in size, in a charged up atmosphere.
It’s the sheer inconsistency and the fact that they always seem to go against us that winds me up.
That decision almost certainly cost us three points and ended our top two chances. How he excuses that one is beyond me as he has as clear a view as he could possibly have. Boils my p***, it really does.

 

If we can't have VAR, How about refs wearing a mic like in Rugby Union that broadcasts his comments over the P.A. system? They may be a bit less likely to 'bottle it' if they have to justify decisions like yesterday in 'real time'. It may also 'temper' the language they face from players protesting over decisions if everything is caught on mic.
It would not necessarily improve their decision making but would, at least, provide some 'transparency' and accountability. Currently they walk away, nothing said, with little or no comeback (assessors reports/accountability are opaque as far as the paying public are concerned) It works in R.U. why not A.F.

 

Exactly this. One of my pet peeves is how (generally) the first 10-15 mins of matches are free for alls where anything goes. Don't know the stats but hardly any bookings in that time (memory serves Kane put in an horrendous tackle v Morecambe that he got away with as a recent example). All to do with letting the game flow I guess but a yellow is a yellow, a pen is a pen from min 1 - 96. Nonsense way of reffing.

 

I don't think ST was suggesting yesterday's ref was bent. Just that it's highly believable that on occasions refs have taken a backhander. Well, in fact it's fact. There have been enough proven instances across world football over the years. It's no more unlikely that a ref will influence a game than a player suggesting to punters he might get booked at a certain point.
I'm all for respecting referees. The overwhelming majority are honest but with varying degrees of competence. It's the authorities who govern the game who deserve zero respect. They have ways to enforce the rules and spirit of the game yet time and again refuse to use them.

 

Presumably the linesman was on that side of the pitch too, yet nothing.

 

Spot on...I didn't see the match but I did see several re runs on here and utube.
I think what kind of stinks is the amount of these (our penalty appeals) that have not resulted in a spot kick....but seem to have them given against us.
Very poor from the ref in isolation...just a very bad call...I think if he looks at that again this morning, he will try a few ways to justify his actions but knows deep down, he has made a massive error.