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Five Best/Worst REFEREES of the Amex Era.



Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,578
Cowfold
Well, we have had threads on the best/worst Albion and opposition players, so why not referees too?

The trouble is I can't think of any good and consistent ones, simply because you don't notice a referee who does his job well and lets the game flow.

Some of the worst performances I would say came from . . .

Gavin Ward
Roger East
Fred Graham
Craig Pawson
Simon Hooper

But I'm sure you can come up with lots more.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
DEFINITELY Craig Pawson, although perversely was responsible for probably the best atmosphere ever at a single Amex game.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,578
Cowfold
DEFINITELY Craig Pawson, although perversely was responsible for probably the best atmosphere ever at a single Amex game.

The 3-0 victory over Palace?, or the 2-1 defeat to Burnley after he sent off two of our players early doors.

Both games provided great atmosphere by the end, but for totally different reasons.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
The 3-0 victory over Palace?, or the 2-1 defeat to Burnley after he sent off two of our players early doors.

Both games provided great atmosphere by the end, but for totally different reasons.

Defeat v Burnley, I wanted to go home after 20 mins (when I lived in London).
 


Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,578
Cowfold
Defeat v Burnley, I wanted to go home after 20 mins (when I lived in London).

Well, by staying, you were very nearly rewarded by the impossible. We should have picked up a most unlikely point when CMS managed to have his very tame effort kicked off the line by a Burnley defender, with the keeper nowhere, right at the death.
 












Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
DEFINITELY Craig Pawson, although perversely was responsible for probably the best atmosphere ever at a single Amex game.

I'm baffled by this animosity towards Pawson (and you're not alone with this). Yes, he sent two of our players off but no-one who saw the replays would question either decision, they were clear-cut red cards. The only thing you could argue was that McCann should have gone too, after he retaliated to Barnes's tackle. I reckon that would have been harsh but there was a case to be made - don't think it makes him a terrible referee though.

Now, Simon Hooper ...
 




Dick Swiveller

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
9,142
I'm baffled by this animosity towards Pawson (and you're not alone with this). Yes, he sent two of our players off but no-one who saw the replays would question either decision, they were clear-cut red cards. The only thing you could argue was that McCann should have gone too, after he retaliated to Barnes's tackle. I reckon that would have been harsh but there was a case to be made - don't think it makes him a terrible referee though.

Now, Simon Hooper ...
Really? You really think Barnes should have gone? Is there an offence of being on the end of a high challenge? I watched it time and again and McCann was a much higher tackle.

Edit - just Googled it and we appealed but Dermot Gallagher supported the decision so maybe not as clear cut as I remember.
 




supaseagull

Well-known member
Feb 19, 2004
9,609
The United Kingdom of Mile Oak
Pawson for me both the Burnley and his more recent performance were of such poor refereeing standard that he shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a football pitch. Even at grassroots level. He must have some very influential friends in high places at the FA to get where he has in today's game.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
Really? You really think Barnes should have gone? Is there an offence of being on the end of a high challenge? I watched it time and again and McCann was a much higher tackle.

Edit - just Googled it and we appealed but Dermot Gallagher supported the decision so maybe not as clear cut as I remember.

Yes, when you watch the replay, Barnes went over the top - if an opposition player had done it to one of our guys, we'd have been howling for a red. As you say, the appeal was dismissed ... but that didn't surprise me in the slightest.
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
It's not that either sendings off were justified, it is just so unexpected as most refs early in a game will give a yellow as a warning, otherwise they are making an almighty rod for their own backs for the duration of the game. So to send two homies off in the first few minutes was quite astonishing.
 






Aug 11, 2003
2,724
The Open Market
It's not that either sendings off were justified, it is just so unexpected as most refs early in a game will give a yellow as a warning, otherwise they are making an almighty rod for their own backs for the duration of the game. So to send two homies off in the first few minutes was quite astonishing.

And it was against Eddie Howe's team, which made it worse.

Hooper's decision over the penalty against Calde is the worst. Playing against Eddie Howe's team, predictably.
 


Nathan

Well-known member
Jan 8, 2010
3,749
Since the Burnley game I do think that Pawson has got better and is more capable of running the game without too many mistakes. However, Gavin Ward is just shit, I mean really shit, for both sides, a really shit poor ref.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,323
Uffern
It's not that either sendings off were justified, it is just so unexpected as most refs early in a game will give a yellow as a warning, otherwise they are making an almighty rod for their own backs for the duration of the game. So to send two homies off in the first few minutes was quite astonishing.

I disagree totally. I think that those sending-offs were a sign of a good ref. If he'd ignored Vincelot's punch - or given a yellow - we'd have people talking about the inconsistencies of refs and how a punch in one game is a red and a punch in another is a yellow. Like most on here, I was howling with indignation at the dismissals while at the game but, seeing them later, I changed my mind completely and thought it was brave refereeing.
 




Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
I disagree totally. I think that those sending-offs were a sign of a good ref. If he'd ignored Vincelot's punch - or given a yellow - we'd have people talking about the inconsistencies of refs and how a punch in one game is a red and a punch in another is a yellow. Like most on here, I was howling with indignation at the dismissals while at the game but, seeing them later, I changed my mind completely and thought it was brave refereeing.

Same could be said of holding players, almost humping them at corners. Dunk gets penalised, no-one else ever does, I've yet to see it replicated?
 





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