[Football] Ref gets three week ban for usingRock, Paper, Scissors after forgetting coin for coin toss

Super Steve Earle · Nov 15, 2018

Ref David McNamara left his coin in the dressing room before last weeks WSL Match between Man City and Reading. Under time pressures to get the match under way for TV, he used Rock Paper Scissors to decide kick off and ends rather than try and get back to the dressing room in time ro retrieve the coin.

FA Women's Manager Joanna Stimpson told The Times 'He should have been more prepared, he should have had a coin. It's disappointing, it's not appropriate, it's very unprofessional'.

Wow, wouldn't want her as my boss. I can't help wondering, had the ref been a woman, would she have said something more like 'Anyone can make a mistake, she forgot the coin and quickly came up with an acceptable alternative to get the match under way for TV. She showed great inititive, everyone was happy and it was dealt with in a professional manner #Girls stick together'.

Thunder Bolt · Nov 15, 2018

The rules of football state a coin toss, so therefore he broke the rules of the game by being too lazy to go back and get the coin.

Well done for the snidey sexism slipped in there.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Nov 15, 2018

Could have asked somebody in the crowd to borrow a coin shirley? Or do refs have a SPECIAL coin?

The Optimist · Nov 15, 2018

A three week ban seems crazy. He forgot a coin, had a TV game (so not good to start late), probably panicked and came up with the best solution he could think of under pressure. It hardly seems comparable to say violent conduct which gets a player a 3 game ban.

Is it PotG? · Nov 15, 2018

Seems he just couldn't give a toss.

Jim D · Nov 15, 2018

Tom Hark said:
Could have asked somebody in the crowd to borrow a coin shirley? Or do refs have a SPECIAL coin?

If it was in Scotland he'd probably have quite a few on the pitch to choose from.

Tom Hark Preston Park · Nov 15, 2018

Jim D said:
If it was in Scotland he'd probably have quite a few on the pitch to choose from.

Only if the elastic broke

hart's shirt · Nov 15, 2018

According to the BBC, he might appeal as a coin is "not listed in the rules of the game as a compulsory item of equipment".

It's easy to understand the reaction of Stimpson here as she has an interest in promoting the refereeing professionalism in the women's game.

That said, it's a bit of an over-reaction as at least one other top referee in professional sport has done similar with no disciplinary action.

When Premier League referees can't see whether a player's taken off his shirt, one might reasonably expect an FA decision reversal here.

Postman Pat · Nov 15, 2018

I used to run the line at county league level and there we were always told to go out as though you were reffing the game, cards, whistle, coin etc.. as you never know when you would need to step up or help the ref out if he forgets something....

I can't believe between the two assistants and the fourth official none of them had a coin he could use.

rippleman · Nov 15, 2018

I once forgot a coin; it can happen. Just used the "which hand is the bit of twig in?" Maybe less obvious than playing rock, paper, scissors; that probably was a bit silly particularly as the game was being televised.

This really is an OTT reaction and if were the ref, I'd be telling the WSL where to stick it. A punishment like that is ridiculous. On Saturday we had England's "top referee" a FIFA official who couldn't even see that a player had removed his shirt. Atkinson failed to enforce the laws of the game and has gone unpunished.

el punal · Nov 15, 2018

Tom Hark said:
Could have asked somebody in the crowd to borrow a coin shirley? Or do refs have a SPECIAL coin?

Now, a devious ref would have had a double headed coin.

Jim D · Nov 15, 2018

hart's shirt said:
According to the BBC, he might appeal as a coin is "not listed in the rules of the game as a compulsory item of equipment".

View attachment 102089

It's easy to understand the reaction of Stimpson here as she has an interest in promoting the refereeing professionalism in the women's game.

That said, it's a bit of an over-reaction as at least one other top referee in professional sport has done similar with no disciplinary action.

When Premier League referees can't see whether a player's taken off his shirt, one might reasonably expect an FA decision reversal here.

View attachment 102090

So it's compulsory to have a notebook but not a pencil?

LamieRobertson · Nov 15, 2018

Ye but did he see someone take their shirt off

McTavish · Nov 15, 2018

hart's shirt said:
According to the BBC, he might appeal as a coin is "not listed in the rules of the game as a compulsory item of equipment".

But the laws say:
Kick-off
Procedure
• the team that wins the toss of a coin decides which goal it will attack in the first half.

So no chance of an appeal based on what is and isn't in the law book.

Easy 10 · Nov 15, 2018

Now they've gone pro the womens game is striving to be taken seriously as a professional sport, so something like this doesn't really help does it. Its quite amusing, but it was a Womens Super League game, and he took it down to playground level for the start. Worth a chuckle, but I can see why the FA have taken a dim view tbh.

TheJasperCo · Nov 15, 2018

Interesting to find out if the three-week ban (harsh though it seems) is paid or unpaid leave.

Eeyore · Nov 15, 2018

Thunder Bolt said:
The rules of football state a coin toss, so therefore he broke the rules of the game by being too lazy to go back and get the coin.

Well done for the snidey sexism slipped in there.

Yep.

If it had been a woman referee then she would have had more coverage of the incident than a bloke would have done. Another example of not fit for purpose.

I do think it's an over reaction though. As Nigel Owens says, sometimes folk need to lighten up.

Marty___Mcfly · Nov 16, 2018

Tom Hark said:
Could have asked somebody in the crowd to borrow a coin shirley? Or do refs have a SPECIAL coin?

I think I saw a ref using a special coin the other day on tv- it looked a bit like a big silver foil covered chocolate coin. So maybe they do have a special one.

Why didn’t he just go back and get his coin?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

zeetha · Nov 16, 2018

Refs are not happy with the sanction given out - not surprised, its a bit harsh!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footbal...H2RsZf9VifU3Plq1EIYZ8untWFSkPli8i0l90Y5U5lzS8

Normal Rob · Nov 16, 2018

Brighton Lines said:
Yep.

If it had been a woman referee then she would have had more coverage of the incident than a bloke would have done. Another example of not fit for purpose.

I do think it's an over reaction though. As Nigel Owens says, sometimes folk need to lighten up.

You say folk need to lighten up whilst At the same time making the reference to snide sexism? Oh the irony.

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[Football] Ref gets three week ban for usingRock, Paper, Scissors after forgetting coin for coin toss

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