RateTheRef
General Refereeing => General Discussion => Topic started by: Whistleblower on Sat 28 Jan 2023 17:23
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At The Valley today to see Charlton take on Bolton; a very good advert for League One with two teams playing open and attacking football. It occurs to me that this fixture has quite a historic ring to it in that it will have been played so many times over the decades thus giving it a somewhat old fashioned nature. Today's referee Carl Brook, a silver fox hitherto unseen or indeed known by me, officiated in a somewhat old fashioned way also and I offer that as a compliment. Rarely have I seen a referee have so much verbal reaction with the players, hence the Babbling Brook, explaining his decisions both given and not given and generally keeping a secure but not overbearing control of the match.
He isn't the quickest mover but was always in a good position to give a credible decision, team work with ARs and 4th looked good and a proper amount of injury time played. Slow to caution but eventually there were four, all nailed on and particularly good to see a couple for blatant time wasting. Both sets of players and management shook his hand warmly at the conclusion.
Brook certainly doesn't look to be among the younger cohort of League referees, perhaps he has been around for some time but has never come under my radar before. On this showing I would be very pleased to see him officiate again.
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Found on another website that he is 46 years old. Only been a league ref for a few years so late promotion seemingly.
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High praise from the learn’d Whistleblower for an official is always a huge compliment!
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Saw him a few weeks ago and was equally impressed, liked his smiling and chatting style and he was very accurate too. Am surprised he is not mentioned more on here.
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Saw him a few weeks ago and was equally impressed, liked his smiling and chatting style and he was very accurate too. Am surprised he is not mentioned more on here.
I haven't done a statistical analysis but my feeling is that what prompts many postings on RTR is overt criticism ( in the negative sense of the word ) of a referee's performance. Therefore Mr Brook's absence of posts may perhaps be taken as a compliment.
I agree, he must be just about the most smiley referee on the League.
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High praise from the learn’d Whistleblower for an official is always a huge compliment!
As my dear late Nana used to say " speak as you find, tell the truth and shame the devil ". Today I found Mr Brook to have refereed the game extremely well and truthfully reported as such. If that be high praise then so be it.
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
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I saw Carl at Crewe Alex earlier in the season and thought he was very good, and a considerably better performance from him than from SG2 David Webb who also came to Gresty Road earlier in the season.
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Don't recall seeing Mr Brook live, since last season's opener Tranmere v Walsall. where he red-carded Chris Merrie. It didn't look a that bad a challenge and in the context of what he'd let go up to then, seemed an incredibly harsh decision. I didn't see the game, but he was in the middle for Rovers' 3-4 win at Port Vale a couple of seasons before featuring 2 penalties, a red card and a 96th minute winner, where the home fans were very critical. It may be the games mentioned were uncharacteristic or he's progressed significantly since, would be interested in seeing him in the middle again given the positive comment.
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I saw Carl at Crewe Alex earlier in the season and thought he was very good, and a considerably better performance from him than from SG2 David Webb who also came to Gresty Road earlier in the season.
Saw parts of this game and liked Brook's style of refereeing, which kept a lid on things. As you mention Webb, who I've seen today, wait until you see his howler of a penalty decision! I say howler despite it massively favouring my team.
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
Ah, a South Coast man. Thank you for the information.
At the beginning of the season there was a site which showed all the Match Officials and the quite specific area they came from ( more specific than just counties that is ) but now I can't seem to find it. Would someone please post the link. Thank you in advance.
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
Not from the haunts of Coote then, though if Mrs Brook, or Carl's significant other, were to be called Sally that would keep to the Tennysonian theme very nicely !
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
Ah, a South Coast man. Thank you for the information.
At the beginning of the season there was a site which showed all the Match Officials and the quite specific area they came from ( more specific than just counties that is ) but now I can't seem to find it. Would someone please post the link. Thank you in advance.
You're welcome, Whistleblower.
The EFL website gave locations for their officials at the start of the season but apparently had second thoughts and reverted to just names. I found knowing their locations interesting. I assume the EFL has its reasons for removing them.
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I wish I had printed off the list. Referees' locations have been a strange interest of mine over many years.
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
If you want precision, I think you'll find it's St Leonards which is most certainly "the Hastings area".
Whistleblower, Charlton have faced Bolton no less than 95 times, with Bolton generally having the best of things.
Carl Brook's two Roots Hall League matches were in the "behind closed doors" era. I have seen him at Portman Road thrice, resulting in 9 points, 12 goals scored, none conceded ...... so little criticism there. Before that I'd seen him several times in non-league and his elevation was not a surprise.
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I wish I had printed off the list. Referees' locations have been a strange interest of mine over many years.
Good job I copied it into a Word document....
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I don't know where Mr Brook hails from but if it were the same County FA as a certain SG1 referee then he could quote Tennyson and say " I come from haunts of Coote " though sadly, as all referees come and go, this Brook will not go on for ever.
I believe he's from the Hastings area of East Sussex.
If you want precision, I think you'll find it's St Leonards which is most certainly "the Hastings area".
Whistleblower, Charlton have faced Bolton no less than 95 times, with Bolton generally having the best of things.
Carl Brook's two Roots Hall League matches were in the "behind closed doors" era. I have seen him at Portman Road thrice, resulting in 9 points, 12 goals scored, none conceded ...... so little criticism there. Before that I'd seen him several times in non-league and his elevation was not a surprise.
Yep, St Leonards-on-sea is definitely Hastings-esq.
Not my favourite locale to visit at all…. Some areas are totally derelict!
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If you want precision, I think you'll find it's St Leonards which is most certainly "the Hastings area".
There is also a St Leonards in Darsetshire
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His definitely from st Leonard’s on sea in Hastings (Sussex) nice guy tbf lined to him 3/4 times when he was L3
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His definitely from st Leonard’s on sea in Hastings (Sussex) nice guy tbf lined to him 3/4 times when he was L3
Blimey, I must be older than I thought. Carl lined to me several times between 1998 and 2005.
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If you want precision, I think you'll find it's St Leonards which is most certainly "the Hastings area".
There is also a St Leonards in Darsetshire
I know it well and have passed through on the A31 many times.
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Found on another website that he is 46 years old. Only been a league ref for a few years so late promotion seemingly.
Found some further information about Brook. He started refereeing at 14 and got on to the EFL at the age of 44 after 30 years working his way up through the ranks. A most commendable example of diligence, perseverance and not giving up. It's good to know, in these days of Development Groups and accelerated promotions, that there is still room at the table for a referee with such a steady progression who perhaps had a few setbacks along the way but never gave up on the ambition.