[Archived] The Big Club / Little Club Ref Debate

[thenodrog]

I thought the lino on our side (Bolton Road Side) last night was visually impaired.

Rum do that. After almost a full season patrolling one half's touchline and churning a track up, now that the ground is drying out against Watford they swopped. Why is this? I would have thought that it would have made more sense to alternate the touchlines all season. I kept looking for the offside flag at the usual side.

Noticed too that the subs obviously have to warm up behind the linesman too. Strange rule when it might make more sense for the subs to warm up on the same side as their respective dug-outs.

[CAPT KAYOS]

Rum do that. After almost a full season patrolling one half's touchline and churning a track up, now that the ground is drying out against Watford they swopped. Why is this? I would have thought that it would have made more sense to alternate the touchlines all season. I kept looking for the offside flag at the usual side.

Noticed too that the subs obviously have to warm up behind the linesman too. Strange rule when it might make more sense for the subs to warm up on the same side as their respective dug-outs.

Something I commented upon this TND.

There is always a load of bollux excuses they come up with though - didn't the same arise in the infamous 'racial' game against Brum.

ThoughT the normal rule was for the linesman to keep the same LB?

[roversmum]

If it's all just big club little club bias how do you explain the fact that Watford didn't get players booked last night cos they're definitely smaller than us so either it's an anti-Rovers thing or you also have to include big clubs and those we feel sorry for because they're rubbish but know their place against small clubs who are actually rather good and just might upset our nice cosy cartel long term

Exactly. Why didn't any of the Watford players get booked? They were trying hard enough

If you look at the stats you will usually find that the ratio of fouls/cards is lower than other clubs; i.e. we are carded more.

And that is without even looking at the 50/50 decisions that go against us.

[b12_simon]

I kept looking for the offside flag at the usual side.

You weren't alone. Our back four kept looking towards the Riverside, too.

[Rover4ever]

O ' Shea tackles a Boro player in the 92nd minute at Old Trafford without making contact with the ball. Referee just plays on.............

[John Howarth]

Rum do that. After almost a full season patrolling one half's touchline and churning a track up, now that the ground is drying out against Watford they swopped. Why is this? I would have thought that it would have made more sense to alternate the touchlines all season. I kept looking for the offside flag at the usual side.

Noticed too that the subs obviously have to warm up behind the linesman too. Strange rule when it might make more sense for the subs to warm up on the same side as their respective dug-outs.

Nearly all Premiership referees now prefer the right diagonal and this is becoming more common in general refereeing circles. It really came about when U.E.F.A. started to decree that their games should be done on right diagonals and consequently most top line referees adopted that policy

[thenodrog]

Nearly all Premiership referees now prefer the right diagonal and this is becoming more common in general refereeing circles. It really came about when U.E.F.A. started to decree that their games should be done on right diagonals and consequently most top line referees adopted that policy

So in fact it's the ref that dictates which side the linesmen (not RA's) run then John?

With buzzers in their flags I should think it'd hardly matter anymore.

[stuwilky]

So in fact it's the ref that dictates which side the linesmen (not RA's) run then John?

With buzzers in their flags I should think it'd hardly matter anymore.

The ref chooses which diagonal to run, and therefore whether the referees run with left backs or with right backs.

Factors used to include where the sun was, the design of the ground etc etc etc, but as John said, since UEFA took away the choice of referees most stick with their rule.