Totally irrelevant seeing as we are talking about 20 seconds or so, but in answer to some of the previous posts about the ref blowing early tonight, it would seem he got it wrong. This is a 'Ask the Ref' feature on the Premier League site (the ref being Alan Wiley in this instance). 'Seeing as you have a stopwatch to determine the amount of injury time to be played out, what impact does the fourth official's time shown have on the actually amount of injury time played? John Alexander, What normally happens is that within the last two minutes of each half, the referee will indicate to the fourth official the MINIMUM amount of time allowed at the end of each half. The fourth official will then show the number of minutes on the electronic board to spectators. If however, during these minutes, there are further stoppages in the game e.g. goals, injuries, substitutions, cautions, time wasting etc., this extra time will be added on. So when you see a team make a substitution during time allowed at the end of each half, it is not using up any time as the referee will add this time on. So when you see a fourth official hold the board up at the end of each half, the REFEREE has indicated to him the MINIMUM number of minutes to be played.' </p> Yes the ref has the discretion to decide the amount of injury time, but once he has decided it, he must play at least that amount.</p> </p>
getting bored of this now Arguing about the amount of time to be added on is like saying "but we've got a game in hand" - it means **** all if you do nothing with it. Liverpool struggled to score 1 in 90 minutes, and showed little to suggest they could have scored another in 20 seconds.
Hardly the point... Rules are rules. The ref should know them... Furthermore, it wasn't just twenty seconds - according to the rules the ref should've added time on for the substitution too. I'm largely indifferent to Liverpool losing but if that would've happened to us I'd be annoyed...
The reason I mentioned it ...is I thought if 3 minutes was put up on the board, the ref could blow at any time between the 2nd and 3rd minute (as tonight), but apparently he shouldn't.
RE: The reason I mentioned it Sorry, didn't mean to sound like I was having a go, I was ready to throw summat at the telly listening to Redknapp carping on about 20 seconds.
RE: I hope the Scousers keep whinging on about it I bet your cocks all red and and sore ? I hope yeah fooking keyboard catches a STD ....
It's amazing how NO-ONE seems to know the rule... I was discussing it earlier today... It is indeed a MINIMUM of X minutes... anyone who listens at a match will hear the announcer say 'The 4th official has indicated there will be a MINIMUM of X minutes stoppage time...' Yet, every time a referee plays 10 seconds over the X value, everyone starts complaining! If he thinks 3 minutes 50 need to be added on, he should indicate THREE minutes. Can't believe pundits/fans/managers don't get this!! Rant over ff
I think they should make it 30 minute halves, time on stadium clock correct, and stop the clock when it's out of play. Get rid of timewasting that way as well
We all know that the refreee doesn't really stop his watch If he did, he would only be able to tell the fourth official how many minutes of the game were remaining. He would have no way of determining how many extra minutes were "to be added". The sooner the referee is hooked up to the stadium clock the better. They will never do it because timekeeping within football is completely arbitrary.
Thats why referees use more than one watch..... not only to try and sort out timewasting/injury time, but also as a back up etc. Qulaified ref me tha knows! and although you are not actually required to use more than one watch, you are advised to (including the linesmen, oops assistant refs)
