RateTheRef

Premier League PAR: (Please predict the referee, fourth official and VAR – 3pm K/O unless stated)

Saturday 31st January 2026

Brighton & Hove Albion v Everton – A Madley / Hooper / Tierney
Leeds United v Arsenal – Bankes / Bramall / Brooks
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth – Taylor / Barrott / Kavanagh
Chelsea v West Ham United (5.30pm) – Jones / Robinson / Gillett
Liverpool v Newcastle United (8pm) – Attwell / Donohue / Pawson

Sunday 1st February 2026

Manchester United v Fulham (2pm) –  Brooks / Salisbury / Gillett
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace (2pm) – Kavanagh / Barrott / Jones
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City (4.30pm) – Harrington / Oliver / Attwell

Monday 2nd February 2026

Sunderland v Burnley (8pm) – Salisbury / Bankes / Hooper

Official Line:(Please predict all appointments below for this one fixture)

Aston Villa v Brentford (Sunday, 2pm)
Referee: Bramall
Assistant Referee: Bennett
Assistant Referee: Hatzidakis
Fourth Official: England
VAR: Attwell
AVAR: Robathan

EFL PAR: (Please predict the referee for the following games - matches 31st January, 3pm K/O unless stated)

Championship:

Sheffield Wednesday v Wrexham (12.30pm) –  Toner   
Watford v Swansea City – Kirk

League One:

Mansfield Town v Wycombe Wanderers – Speedie
Peterborough United v Huddersfield Town – Bourne

League Two:

Gillingham v Bromley – Swabey
Swindon Town v Barrow – Humphries

The Randomiser:

Please predict an official who will be an answer to the following questions

1) How many SG1 assistant referees will be appointed as a main VAR? 1

2) How many Premier League penalties will be awarded? 4

3) Which SG1 official (referee or assistant referee) will be appointed to a EFL fixture?  England

Quote from: carrowman on Thu 22 Jan 2026 19:28

As Norwich don't win many games 5-0, and I had an hour to spare I thought I would re watch the 2nd half and make a note of all the time lost in the half.
 
The 2nd half lasted 49.05 ( 4 minutes added time signalled )

There were 4 goals and the time between the goal being scored and the restart were
1 min 10 secs
1 min 20 secs  ( this included a substitution )
1 min
1 min 7 secs

There were 3 other substitution periods
36 secs
20 secs
45 secs  ( 2 subs )

There were 6 Norwich goal kicks
Whilst 1-0   19 secs
Whilst 2-0   15 secs & 21 secs
Whilst 4-0   18 secs, 9 secs & 35 secs ( keeper cautioned )

and there was also 30 seconds wasted when there were 2 balls on the pitch.

So, a brief analysis of these incidents that together total 8:45:

Goals: I don’t agree with adding the entire period between a goal being scored and the restart.  The time taken for players to regroup is a natural part of the game and will always account for at least 30 seconds.  I would therefore deduct that from each goal stoppage.  On that basis, the allowance becomes 4:37 minus 2:00, leaving 2:37.

Substitutions: The full time taken should be added on, which comes to 1:41.

Goal kicks: I would only add time where there is clear action taken to delay the restart; otherwise, it is simply part of normal play.  This occurred once, so 0:35 should be added.

Two balls on the pitch: This is an unfortunate side effect of the multi-ball system, which generally saves time overall; swings and roundabouts.  Unless the second ball is introduced deliberately to waste time, I wouldn’t add anything for this.

That gives a total of 2:37 + 1:41 + 0:35 = 4:53. Given the scoreline, signalling four minutes of added time and not extending it much beyond that seems entirely reasonable.

There are some people who would say the score line should never be taken into account as a factor.
I was only taking notes about 3 main areas. I didn't bother with the additional wasted time with throw ins, players injuries, when they don't need a trainer but just a little bit of time to recover and although I don't think it was an issue at this game for once, the usual wrestling at corners which the ref normally has to come in and have a tedious chat about.

Quote from: carrowman on Thu 22 Jan 2026 19:28

As Norwich don't win many games 5-0, and I had an hour to spare I thought I would re watch the 2nd half and make a note of all the time lost in the half.
 
The 2nd half lasted 49.05 ( 4 minutes added time signalled )

There were 4 goals and the time between the goal being scored and the restart were
1 min 10 secs
1 min 20 secs  ( this included a substitution )
1 min
1 min 7 secs

There were 3 other substitution periods
36 secs
20 secs
45 secs  ( 2 subs )

There were 6 Norwich goal kicks
Whilst 1-0   19 secs
Whilst 2-0   15 secs & 21 secs
Whilst 4-0   18 secs, 9 secs & 35 secs ( keeper cautioned )

and there was also 30 seconds wasted when there were 2 balls on the pitch.

I understand that, but what does that have to do with cautioning the goalkeeper?

You’ve kind of just answered your question; 35 seconds to take a goal kick. Why does he need 35 seconds unless he’s running the clock down?

Whilst it was excessive in this one case, West Brom weren't bothered or worried and in the context of this actual game with 3 minutes to go and 4 up it wasn't needed/required/expected. If you are then going to follow the letter of the law at least try and add on the correct time. But then I'm of a different era where common sense was allowed.

He had been doing it most of the game, especially with the score at 0-1 and 0-2, and had been warned on several occasions.
Not really a surprise when he did get cautioned, regardless of the score at the time.

And yet, there was 4 additional minutes added and played.

Norwich scored 4 goals, all celebrated with the away fans behind the goal, no rush to get the game restarted  ( 4 x 30 secs = 2 mins )

5 substitutions ( 5 x 30 secs = 2 mins 30 )

Doesn't seem that much additional time was actually added on for all this wasted time!

Premier League PAR:(Please predict the referee, fourth official and VAR – 3pm K/O unless stated)

Saturday 24th January 2026

West Ham United v Sunderland (12.30pm) – Robinson / Barrott / Gillett
Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur – Taylor / Attwell / Jones
Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion – A Madley / Pawson / Brooks
Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Salisbury / Bankes / Kavanagh
Bournemouth v Liverpool (5.30pm) – Oliver / Hooper / England

Sunday 25th January 2026

Brentford v Nottingham Forest (2pm) – Kavanagh / J Smith / Attwell
Crystal Palace v Chelsea (2pm) – Tierney / Brooks / Oliver
Newcastle United v Aston Villa (2pm) – Gillett / Jones / Hooper
Arsenal v Manchester United (4.30pm) – Pawson / Robinson / Madley

Official Line: (Please predict all appointments below for this one fixture)

Everton v Leeds United (Monday, 8pm)
Referee: Hooper
Assistant Referee: Long
Assistant Referee:  W Smith
Fourth Official: Kitchen
VAR: Tierney
AVAR: Hatzidakis

EFL PAR: (Please predict the referee for the following games - matches 24th January, 3pm K/O unless stated)

Championship:

Derby County v West Bromwich Albion (Friday, 8pm) – Backhouse
Middlesbrough v Preston North End (12.30pm) - England

League One:

Port Vale v Exeter City – Young
Reading v Barnsley – Rock

League Two:

MK Dons v Shrewsbury Town – Corlett
Salford City v Bristol Rovers – Finnie

The Randomiser:

Please predict an official who will be an answer to the following questions

1) How many SG1 referees will be appointed as an AVAR? 1

2) Who will issue a first half red card? Tierney

3) Which referee will have either a female assistant or a female fourth official? Breakspear

PAR Cup Round 3

Please name ten referees who will be named as referee in the third round of the FA Cup.
- Bankes
- Harrington
- Hooper
- Robinson
- L Smith
- Hallam
- Kitchen
- Kirk
- Ward
- Linington


Please name ten assistant referees who will be named as an assistant referee in the third round of the FA Cup.
- Howson
- Hatzidakis
- Holmes
- Long
- Scholes
- Wood
- Hodskinson
- Hyde
- Fox
- Bickerdike

Please name four referees who will be named as fourth official in the third round of the FA Cup.
- Whitestone
- Webb
- Langford
- Speedie

Please name the referee to take charge of the following fixtures.
Portsmouth v Arsenal  - Hooper
Macclesfield v Crystal Palace  - Kitchen
Tottenham v Aston Villa - Pawson

How many officials will be appointed, in any role, to more than one match in the FA Cup 3rd Round? 4

How many matches will be refereed by a NL referee (not SG1, SG2 or SG Supplementary list)? 5

Which referee will be appointed to a game with more than 5 goals scored, (excluding goals scored in a penalty shootout)  Allison

How many PL teams will be refereed by a non SG1 referee? (An all PL team tie refereed by an non SG1 referee would be counted twice, once for each PL team involved, so maximum is still 20) 8

Tiebreaker
How many goals will be scored across the 3rd Round FA Cup? (including extra time but excluding penalty shootouts) 96

Reserve Tiebreaker
How many Red Cards will be shown across the 3rd Round FA Cup? 6

Premier League PAR:(Please predict the referee, fourth official and VAR – 7.30pm K/O unless stated)

Tuesday 6th January 2026

West Ham United v Nottingham Forest (8pm) – Pawson / Hooper / Madley

Wednesday 7th January 2026

Brentford v Sunderland – Kitchen / Taylor / Salisbury
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa – Kavanagh / Linington / Harrington
Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Tierney / L Smith / Howard
Fulham v Chelsea – Robinson / Martin / Donohue
Manchester City v Brighton & Hove Albion – Bramall / Barrott / England
Burnley v Manchester United (8.15pm) – Madley / Backhouse / Chilowicz
Newcastle United v Leeds United (8.15pm) – Jones / Langford / Hooper

Thursday 8th January 2026

Arsenal v Liverpool (8pm) – Oliver / Pawson / Taylor

Official Line: (Please predict all appointments below for this one fixture)

Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur (Wednesday, 7.30pm)
Referee: Attwell
Assistant Referee: Hatzidakis
Assistant Referee: Meredith
Fourth Official: Hooper
VAR: Kavanagh
AVAR: Robathan

The Randomiser:

Please predict an official who will be an answer to the following questions (relate to PL games above)

1) How many penalties will be awarded? 4

2) How many PL matches will see the yellow kit be worn by the officials? 4

3) Who will be appointed as a 4th official? Bankes