Referee V Preston - reply from football league

[Wonto]

After confronting Mr Merson for his negative comments re Stoke (see Paul Merson Hate Campaign) I thought as I was on a roll I would have a go at the football league about the ref on Tuesday - & I have had a reply

Dear Mr xxxxxxx


Professional Game Match Officials - the body responsible for the management and administration of match officials were happy with this appointment. Michael Oliver is a young referee who has already officiated in a Conference Play-Off Final at Wembley and live television and his reports so far this season indicate that he has a bright future.

Emails received expressing views on Mr Oliver's performance had already been passed to the Referees' Manager - his role is to analyse all the referee performances from the data available and discuss this with the referee on a one-to-one basis. This data will include the match assessor's report (an assessor is present at every Football League match), the match video or DVD and, at some grounds, the Prozone statistics.

Having looked at the match he has spoken at length with Mr Oliver. Of the critical incidents there are some where he has acted correctly and in accordance with the Laws of the Game, others which might have been handled differently. These have been discussed and advice, as appropriate, given. In the same way that a manager analyses his players' mistakes, and there are usually more of those than the referee, he also works with his officials in a bid to constantly improve standards in a game which has become faster and more frenetic over recent years. Every match is recorded and referees are under closer scrutiny than ever before.

As a former referee you more than most will understand how difficult the role is and that the angle any incident is viewed from by the referee is different from any other person in the ground. I am sure you always gave what you saw as honest decisions, but I guarantee they were challenged by players and possibly supporters

We hope this helps clarify that we are constantly trying to improve and maintain refereeing standards and that we do not take such comments lightly.

Thank you for contacting The Football League.



Patricia Brown
Customer Services
The Football League
www.football-league.co.uk

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________________________________

From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: 29 February 2008 16:12
To: FL
Subject: Preston V Stoke Tues 26th Feb



Having given time for my feelings to subside - they haven't so I am contacting yourselves regarding the referee in charge of the above game.


I gather that the referee is the youngest in the league and this was only his second game in the Championship.

This was an extremely important game for both teams in a top v bottom three clash and it could easily have been imagined before the game by whoever appoints referees that it could turn into a feisty affair that would need controlling.


It shouldn't have been a surprise therefore that this is exactly what happened and to relieve the pressure on himself the referee reacted to the baying of the home crowd in influencing his decisions. The local newspaper gave him 4 marks and it would be interesting to see the assessors report.


As a former Class 1 referee I am a supporter of the officials but cannot for the life of me understand why this appointment was made and I would be obliged if you could give me some kind of explanation as I can't get to the reasoning in my own mind.


Peter xxxxxxx


Click here <https://www.mailcontrol.com/sr/wQw0zmjPoHdJTZGyOCrrhg==>> to report this email as spam.




The Football League Ltd.
Registered Office - Unit 5B. Edward VII Quay, Navigation Way, Preston PR2 2YF. Registered in England & Wales. Reg No: 80612.

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[japwba]

Sour grapes by the sounds of it.

Every team has a game where they blame the ref, ourselves are no exception.

There are muppets who ref the game and get decisions wrong and we (as fans) must deal with it.

[fingers]

jap comment on things when you actually see the game.It was not sour grapes the bloke was an absolute prick totally out of his depth.

[trebor63]

Re :- he has spoken at length with Mr Oliver. Of the critical incidents there are some where he has acted correctly and in accordance with the Laws of the Game, others which might have been handled differently. These have been discussed and advice, as appropriate, given

Thats about as close to an admission that he WAS wanc and totally out of his depth as we're likely to get! Shame they see our current position as one they are happy to jeopardise with the training of a ref! After all why risk him in a mid table nothingy match!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[japwba]

fingers said:

jap comment on things when you actually see the game.It was not sour grapes the bloke was an absolute prick totally out of his depth.

I'm just saying that every team has its own share of bad decisions.

Eg, we drew 1-1 with Sheff Wed earlier this season when their equaliser was scored in the 7th minute of stoppage time after 4 were signalled.

No point complaining about it.

[Wonto]

japwba - I think if you read my mail to the league I didn't blame the referee for the result. In fact I didn't mention it. My complaint was solely that I think it was an ill conceived appointment which led to a poor performance & it could easily have been anticipated.
I thought it was a reasonable point!!

[TheWiseMaster]

My reply was very similar to yours - though without the personal bit

And I didn't blame the ref for the result either!

[bayernoatcake]

The ref wasn't to blame for the result, the blame lies with the players. What we are annoyed about that he was a totally inept twat of a ref who didn't have a clue. Him being wank had no affect on the result us not being able to score in a brothel that night sorted the result out.

[sportsman]

So now what do they do? They go and give us the prat that has been demoted last week for sending off Alliadier for the little touch of the face and now Mascherano for his initial grab of the face, Lee Mason!!

[scfclifer]

trebor63 said:

Thats about as close to an admission that he WAS wanc and totally out of his depth as we're likely to get! Shame they see our current position as one they are happy to jeopardise with the training of a ref! After all why risk him in a mid table nothingy match!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

one of west brasil's games perhaps ;d

[powchirper]

The Football League Ltd.
Registered Office - Unit 5B. Edward VII Quay, Navigation Way, Preston PR2 2YF. Registered in England & Wales. Reg No: 80612.

I think the address is a bit of a clue on this one

[roloman]

jabwa if you listen carefully the announcement always says that the 4th official has indicated that a minimum of 'whatever' minutes will be played. so playing more is not a valid gripe

[knowingeye]

You will never beat the system.

[howard moon is a stokie]

thats obviously an automatic reply with just your name in. they will get so many complaints they couldnt address every1's issues

[howard moon is a stokie]

thats obviously an automatic reply with just your name in. they will get so many complaints they couldnt address every1's issues

[StoKeith]

Wonto - how do you pronounce your surname?

pikthat1out - they definitely added a personal bit on as they go on about wonto being a former referee.

[Wonto]

I am sure that a lot of it is standard paragraphs but they did personlise it because I told them I was a former referee.
I took my name & email address off the correspondence because it's more fun just to have the mystery on here of not knowing who anyone is?

Do these things achieve anything - well if they recieved hundreds of emails all saying the same thing & it happened on more than one occasion then I am sure it would be looked at.

[second season tree]

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i love this, how ironic.

[Wonto]

oops - should have read that bit!!! do you think they will sue?

[tazi]

No need to worry as they wont sue!.








































Well, not for anything less than a mill anyway

[Wonto]

thanks for the reasurrance tazi kama comin your way

[tazi]

Nice one and no probs mate.