Going to pop one of these up every game this season. End of the year, we'll have a ref of the season. The worst performer will get an award, which for the time being I'm calling the Doink the Clown award, until I think of something better. So, David Rock. What do we think.
The ref was stuck between a rock and a hard place, having to make decisions he himself won't have always agreed with.
If we win 7-0, and my biggest takeaway is how angry I was about the refereeing performance, that has to be a 0 for me. He was an absolute shambles.
Honestly so bad. Maybe there should be minus options for occasions like today! How he could justify some of our bookings and then not booking theirs for similar offences was beyond me. Also booking a keeper for time wasting when 6-0 up is nonsense. Linesman in front of east stand just as bad. Of course only in my opinion.
Gave him a 2 because he played advantage for our second goal. Apart from that, he was awful. I know it’s a hard job but some really don’t help themselves.
8 yellow cards, but one bad foul, and he didn’t even book the player who committed the bad foul on Cotter. The yellow for timewasting that he gave Roberts when we were 6-0 up and it was the 89th minute should be used as a teaching session for trainee refs when doing the ‘how not to be ******* stupid’ part of their training.
2/10. Some of the yellow cards were ridiculous but given due to his understanding of what they are trying to tighten up on so I don’t count him completely culpable for all of them. Roberts’ booking was absolutely laughable when it was clear both teams had had enough by that point. The fact Port Vale took about three times as long at their next corner as Roberts did over his kick, and Rock failed to act, despite the whole ponty screaming pointing it out, screams of gross inconsistency. The only one of our yellows I thought was justified was Russell’s. Didn’t get a good view of Kane’s to be fair. If he was a stronger and better referee he’d have applied a bit of common sense at times. To not book the lad who took out Cotter, for them to not get one booking for time wasting when we got so many and they did more of it - he was exceptionally poor for me. Two points for not falling for their striker going down in the box like he’d been shot by a sniper, and playing advantage for the second goal.
I think people are getting hung up about the yellow cards and the stupid amount of time added on but these are directives from the authorities he had no choice but to look out for specifically and be tough on. Perceived time wasting, not retreating at a free kick etc. If he hadn't picked up on them, he'd have been marked down by the assessor. Its ****, but there you go. Personally, I think we've had much worse. I gave him a 6. Just trying to be objective. I need room to mark someone lower when they are really bad and room to go higher when they have a top game. This chap was meh.
He didn’t give one time wasting yellow to the away team. Their keeper took longer than Roberts took when he was booked - in the first half. He took no action when they took about six months this to take a corner - after just having booked Roberts. He booked Styles for apparently not allowing them to take a free kick when he was about seven yards from the ball, making no attempt to stop anything and he was retreating. I know what the regulations and directives are. Rock was a jobsworth who took it too far - and crucially, wasn’t consistent.
I am not saying he was great. He wasn't. But I still think there are far worse we have had. He's no Willard. And if you give him 0, where do you go from there when we get someone worse. Which we will.
I gave him 5. If it wasn't for the inconsistency with the cards, he actually did ok. But the failure to book their player for the tackle on Cotter and the Roberts yellow card were inexplicable. Nothing to do with any new directives there, just a complete lack of judgement and common sense.
He followed the rules, guidelines, 2 bookings at most but to be fair he had a decent game, the players are gunner av to be on their toes, watching E,F,L highlights a few bizzare refering decisions
I gave him a one for turning up. Think I may have been over generous For us to have won by seven and still complaining about him……… he has to be bad
I don't know to what extent referees or their organisation read club social media sites, but this will no doubt endear us to every referee in the league.
Strange performance. Thought he kept up with play, was very decisive, giving freekicks when warranted but ignored player theatrics from those trying to win a freekick, and wasn't influenced by any protestations from either side. But for some reason seemed to believe every foul committed was worthy of a yellow card, particularly early on. Without all those bookings no one would have noticed him, he got most decisions right and allowed play to flow, which is what a referee should aspire to. Overuse of the yellow card, which inevitably leads to inconsistency, left players and fans frustrated.
I thought he was fine apart from the yellow cards which then got him a 2. He epitomised everything wrong with the modern game.
Enforced the new rules as instructed. It's well overdue players need to stop moaning understand not to talk back and get on with the match. At least you get more value as most games will last so much longer with all this extra time added on. Might have to bring the kick off earlier for night matches, need to get home before midnight
At least half the cards were for talking back and delaying the game. Some of the yellow cards for fouls were soft. Players need to learn the new policy or half the team will be suspended by Christmas
