RateTheRef

Pleased to see Taylor with the Tyne-Wear derby if slightly surprised given he had Sunderland in the FA Cup 2 weeks ago!

To be honest I am not surprised Anthony Taylor has got the Tyne/Wear gig.

 Peter Bankes did the reverse fixture and I would  have been happy to see him officiate the return but given the injuries to a fair few SG1 refs other than Gillet I don't think we can raise issue with the appointment.

Thomas George Owen Patrick "Tom" BUNE
born Reading Q4 1936 and now aged 89 living in Wallingford
Computer Salesman
married Ann M. Jones Q1 1959 Wokingham (two sons, Mark 1960, Duncan 1963)
Reading & District, Spartan, Isthmian, FL line 1968, FL Supp 1973, FL Full 1974, Retired 1985
Lived in Reading, Billingshurst, Cranleigh, Newbury, Wallingford

Derrick (sic) Thomas "Thomas" RICHARDSON
born Lincoln Q1 1933, died 23 Mch 2015 Lincoln
married Gladys M. Woolhouse Q1 1954 Lincoln (son Clive 1958, dau Marie 1960)
FL Line 1969, FL Supp 1973, FL Full 1975, Retired 1981
Not to be confused with his contempories
David (born 1937) Clayton Le Dale, Blackburn
Peter J (born 1934) also of Lincoln but NOT related as he moved there from Wellingborough

Ronald Charles "Ron" CHALLIS
born Wokingham 1 Spt 1932, died 11 Jan 2001 Tonbridge
married Freda C. Cooper Q3 1956 Uckfield (two sons Shaun 1961, Adrian 1963)
FL Ref 1968, Sr Line F.A.Cup Final 1975, Referee F.A.Cup Final 1979 (Arsenal 3, Man. U. 2), Retired 1981

Lester Courtenay SHAPTER
born Totnes October 1939, now living in Torquay aged 86
Police Officer
played for Barnstaple Town
married Caroline Whitehall Q4 1964 Barnstaple (one son, two dau's Tracey 1965, Lee 1968, Gail 1970)
divorced, re-married Janet E. Creber Q4 1980 Torquay
South-Western League 1956, Western League 1964, Supp FL 1973, Full FL 1974-92
Linesman Charity Shield 1981, Referee F.L. Cup Final 1987

WOW !!!!!

 That is wonderful information.

Glad to see both Mr Bune and Mr Shapter are still with us and hopefully are both in good health.I wonder if they still watch football either live or on TV and think about how modern day referees are under so much scrutiny and have each major decision scrutinised to the minutest detail.

 Of course Mr Richardson and Mr Challis are no longer with us and my they both Rest in Eternal Peace.

 Been watching a few reruns again from the seventies and some interesting names have been mentioned by commentators.

Mr T Bune from Sussex
Mr Derek Richardson
 Mr Lester Shapter from Devon [ I remember his name]
 Mr Ron Challis

 I guess these gentlemen would have been top referees of their era but I would be interested if learned posters on here would be able to fill in the blanks regarding their careers and their well being today if possible.

No one will ever convince me that taking over five minutes to make a subjective decision is good for the game.

 We[ Sunderland ] got the mucky end of the stick on Saturday at Bournemouth when a push in the penalty area was deemed as natural contact and yet thirty seconds later a similar offence of far less magnitude was given simply because it was outside of the box.


 We can argue the whys and wherefores of those two decisions until the cows come home but that was absolutely nothing compared to what happened to Burnley.

It is now starting where the normal fan trusts VAR and those who administer it less and less and that is no good whatsoever for anyone.

 Many years ago I was at a talk-in at a local pub given by former top flight referee George Tyson [ R.I.P] and within his words he came out with a phrase that no doubt all those who contribute to this forum will endorse " Without a referee, there ain't a game".

 Of course that phrase is one hundred per cent correct and totally watertight but let us also remember that without a crowd whether it be fifty thousand in a Premier League stadium or three blokes and a dog watching two pub sides on a park football field there ain't a game to officiate in.

 As a mere supporter all I want to see is consistency .

Is that too much to ask ?

 

Could it be Lewis Smith with being FO at Newcastle with the missing game being played at Sunderland the following day

Sunderland are away at either Port Vale or Bristol City.

Quote from: robbieg on Mon 16 Feb 2026 20:18

The match referee apparently is based near Bournemouth but didn't bother to travel until the day of the game

"Didn't bother" is rather harsh.  Officials at this level are not full time.  Without knowing their personal circumstances, such criticism is unwarranted.

I RESPECTFULLY asked not to shoot me as I was only quoting what was said on the radio.

Quote from: robbie_scouse on Sun 15 Feb 2026 21:11

Quote from: robbieg on Sun 15 Feb 2026 16:17

Been a bad week overall for Chris Kavanagh with not only the outfall from yesterday's game but also from his handling of the Sunderland v Liverpool Premier League fixture where he has come out and openly admitted he should have awarded Sunderland a penalty for a foul on Brian Brobbey.

Where has Kavanagh come out and openly admitted this?

The Sunderland manager’s statement “The referee recognised his mistake at half-time, the penalty. It was a pen,” hardly comes across as convincing!

To be honest I cannot even remember the incident.


In the words of Victor Meldrew… I think the Sunderland manager was talking Brian Oliver locks….