RateTheRef

Sorry to post about an incident in a game from the National League North but there was quite an unusual refereeing incident in the match between Kidderminster and Farsley Celtic on Saturday and I'd be interested in your thoughts.

After having a good game overall Mr Corbett got himself in a bit of a muddle in the dying minutes of the match. Farsley, being two goals ahead, were understandably taking plenty of time over the taking of free kicks.  So much so that the referee drew his yellow card from his pocket and approached a player who was taking an age to restart the game. However, he then realised that the player concerned had been shown a card earlier in the game and decided he didn't want to have to dismiss the player so changed his mind. I think at this stage he intended to hope no one had noticed but the giant centre half of Kidderminster, possibly the captain, swiftly approached the referee and had a few words with him.  The referee then summoned the Farsley captain from the other side of the pitch and showed him the yellow card instead. All parties seemed happy with this decision since the incident was very late in the game so had no apparent effect on the result.

First question is, if you were in the middle would you ever show a yellow card to a player for 'time wasting' if he was already on a yellow ?  Second question is, if you had already pulled out your card before you realised would you feel you had to go through with it and show the player a second yellow or come up with the same solution as Mr Corbett or some other solution ?   

Finally, would there be any sort of assessor at a game at that level who might discuss the matter with the referee after the match ?



 

There was an observer, and the referee's coach was there as well.

As a Kidderminster fan the whole episode was very messy. My view is Once you've decided to caution a player and have a yellow card in your hand you cannot change your mind just because you've realised he had previously been cationed. Secondly if I was the captain who got booked I would feel rather narked that I got booked for a offence I didn't commit. Would the asseor mark him down for this for being a KMI?
I belive this is Mr Corbett's first season  at this level, although a couple of decions I didn't agree with ( the free kick for the first goal for example) he certainly wasn't the worse referee I've seen at Aggborough this season and has the potential to go higher.

Under what law can a captain be YCd for an offence committed by one of his players? Wouldn't that be appealable?

I had a similar incident in a game earlier this season.  I was on the line and a player taking a corner next to me for a team that was comfortably ahead was taking an age.  I was aware that he was on a yellow card and was encouraging him, verbally and demonstratively, to hurry up. I pointed out that getting another yellow at that point would be incredibly stupid.  He took no notice.  The referee began running towards us, thrusting hand into pocket.  I don't whether it was the panicked look on my face or their own realisation of which player it was that caused the hand to come out of the pocket empty.  Either way, we were all much relieved afterwards.  There was no observer present either so no harm done and lesson learnt.

Sorry to post about an incident in a game from the National League North

Never apologise about what level the game is! There is life outside of the PL even if the PL would try and have you think otherwise.

Great learning point for all young refs.

Quote from: BabyRef on Tue 11 Oct 2022 08:45

Under what law can a captain be YCd for an offence committed by one of his players? Wouldn't that be appealable?

He could appeal for mistaken identity

That would be an interesting appeal, given the apparent 'deliberate' and 'knowing' caution that was otherwise awarded incorrectly to the right player.  That would be an appeal well worth watching.

Quote from: Ref Watcher on Tue 11 Oct 2022 10:56

I had a similar incident in a game earlier this season.  I was on the line and a player taking a corner next to me for a team that was comfortably ahead was taking an age.  I was aware that he was on a yellow card and was encouraging him, verbally and demonstratively, to hurry up. I pointed out that getting another yellow at that point would be incredibly stupid.  He took no notice.  The referee began running towards us, thrusting hand into pocket.  I don't whether it was the panicked look on my face or their own realisation of which player it was that caused the hand to come out of the pocket empty.  Either way, we were all much relieved afterwards.  There was no observer present either so no harm done and lesson learnt.

Based on your description the player:
~ Was "taking an age" to take a corner.
~ Was made aware he was already on a yellow card.
~ Was helpfully encouraged to hurry up.
~ Was further made aware that a receiving a second yellow card for time-wasting would be "incredibly stupid".

I understand why you might have been "relieved" afterwards, but many others (not least the opposing players, official and supporters) may have been less happy that the correct sanction was not applied. 

The delay / time-wasting has been condoned and will be repeated - players will believe they are immune from a second yellow card for "technical" offences and the game suffers as a result.

If I remember correctly the score was 5-1, there were a couple of minutes left and it was a cup game.  Absolutely no one wanted a red card.  I have no problem with the harshest sanction being applied for technical offences when it is appropriate.  A red card here would just have annoyed everyone and left the referee open to accusations of being a jobsworth.