[Archived] Youngest Ever Premiership Referee At Ewood Park

[John Howarth]

Instead of the usual names and faces of Mike Riley, Uriah Rennie, Mark Clattenburg etc. etc, the referee scheduled for tomorrows home game against Hull City is Stuart Attwell, who at 25 is the youngest ever referee to officiate in the Premier League.

It will be very interesting to see if he wants to try and make a name for himself or will he referee to the satisfaction of the home crowd.

[Roar of the Rover]

Instead of the usual names and faces of Mike Riley, Uriah Rennie, Mark Clattenburg etc. etc, the referee scheduled for tomorrows home game against Hull City is Stuart Attwell, who at 25 is the youngest ever referee to officiate in the Premier League.

It will be very interesting to see if he wants to try and make a name for himself or will he referee to the satisfaction of the home crowd.

As long as there aren't any dodgy decisions I couldn't care less who refereed our game. A Penalty would be nice though

[Grabbi Graeme]

Maybe more pressure on him than usual, he will want to impress the assesor in the stand, he could be brilliant or he could lose the plot and cards galore.

[Majiball]

Just remember young referee, its better to keep 20,000 home fans happy than 5,000 away fans!!!

:lol:

[Hannah]

Nuneaton - I wouldn't worry about his age I would be more worried about him being from Nuneaton!

[Mr Creosote]

Like most refs he will probably start impressively, using common sense, allowing the game to flow and realising that the game is not all about him.

Then he will become a useless, incompetent attention seeker like the rest.

[Hughesy]

With him being new and the spotlight being on him, he could well be very fussy and stick to each letter of the law, which may be annoying. Hope there is no moaning from our players tomorrow because I expect him to be card happy for anyone giving mouth.

[rover6]

Finally, someone gives youth a chance.

[colbert]

most of the players will be older than him!!

[waggy]

about time youth was given a chance at ewood

[DeadlyDirk]

As long as he doesn't bottle any big decisions.

Referees are not my favourite type of people but I hope he does alright, perhaps his age will be an advantage, he may be a bit more in touch with the modern game.

[JAL]

Looking forward to seeing this young lad, he must be extremely good to have reached this level in the first place.

[Roar of the Rover]

Looking forward to seeing this young lad, he must be extremely good to have reached this level in the first place.

Personally I don't think any individual Referee (besides Graham Poll) get blamed for errors. I feel Referees in general get the blame.

Bet none of you can name all the Refs that gave us dodgy descisions last season?

So this new ref will be just another one, either giving Refs a good name, or a worse name.

[philipl]

Good luck to the lad at Ewood this afternoon.

He has got a game that could easily turn nasty as both sides are well capable of getting into the others' faces and Phil Brown's pre-match interview has admitted that their best chance of winning isto turn it into a Championship match.

[Ossydave]

Looking forward to seeing this young lad

Gary Glitter shouldn't be allowed net access

[cn174]

I'm sure most people have seen it, but this fella gave the most ridiculous goal decision ever yesterday. The linesman flagged to say it went over the line, but the ball actually went about 2 yards wide. Strangely the ref ended up agreeing with the linesman. I can only imagine how mad we'd all be if that goal was against us!!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kw5K9zCm7sM&...id=event_766888

[McClarky]

Unbelievable decision, possibly the worst of all time. Did the lino not think that the Reading players might appeal if the ball had gone in? The only decision I've seen worse was in a Scottish game years ago. I think Dundee Utd might have been involved. A free kick from the edge of the area hit the back stantion and bounced back out. A defender caught the ball in the area and booted it back upfield for the centre to be taken. Did the ref give:-

a) A goal, or

A penalty because he thought the ball had hit the bar?

No....he gave a goal kick!

[dr_awol]

Unbelievable decision, possibly the worst of all time. Did the lino not think that the Reading players might appeal if the ball had gone in? The only decision I've seen worse was in a Scottish game years ago. I think Dundee Utd might have been involved. A free kick from the edge of the area hit the back stantion and bounced back out. A defender caught the ball in the area and booted it back upfield for the centre to be taken. Did the ref give:-

a) A goal, or

A penalty because he thought the ball had hit the bar?

No....he gave a goal kick!

argh i remember rangers vrs Dundee utd last season not so long after the cup final, utd just just cheated by the ref. When I watched the game I felt embarrassed to be a football fan.

Craig Levein is the man

[shadsworth cloud]

Unbelievable decision, possibly the worst of all time. Did the lino not think that the Reading players might appeal if the ball had gone in? The only decision I've seen worse was in a Scottish game years ago. I think Dundee Utd might have been involved. A free kick from the edge of the area hit the back stantion and bounced back out. A defender caught the ball in the area and booted it back upfield for the centre to be taken. Did the ref give:-

a) A goal, or

A penalty because he thought the ball had hit the bar?

No....he gave a goal kick!

you are thinking of this incident

in actual fact the refs decision was play on. shortly afterwards they did away with the back posts inside the goal. at least this decision didn't alter the match, unlike yesterdays decision

[CAPT KAYOS]

I'm sure most people have seen it, but this fella gave the most ridiculous goal decision ever yesterday. The linesman flagged to say it went over the line, but the ball actually went about 2 yards wide. Strangely the ref ended up agreeing with the linesman. I can only imagine how mad we'd all be if that goal was against us!!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kw5K9zCm7sM&...id=event_766888

IMO it instantly proves that the 4th official counts for absolutely nothing in the game at all - aren't they supposed to have monitors?

Could easily have been overturned.

[T4E]

Personally I don't think any individual Referee (besides Graham Poll) get blamed for errors. I feel Referees in general get the blame.

Bet none of you can name all the Refs that gave us dodgy descisions last season?

So this new ref will be just another one, either giving Refs a good name, or a worse name.

To the contrary - mention the name Gerald Ashby round here and I guarantee you 99% of people will cite the same incident.

I'd also be very surprised if a Rovers fan didn't know who Jim Devine was.

[AggyBlue]

I'm sure most people have seen it, but this fella gave the most ridiculous goal decision ever yesterday. The linesman flagged to say it went over the line, but the ball actually went about 2 yards wide. Strangely the ref ended up agreeing with the linesman. I can only imagine how mad we'd all be if that goal was against us!!

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=kw5K9zCm7sM&...id=event_766888

I see 'The Football League Limited' have had the clip removed.

[92er]

It said in the Daily Telegraph that no blame was being attached to the young ref-who had been fast tracked-so it will be interesting to see if anything happens to the linesman. I'm sure Gumboots could give full details of her relation in the infamous WH match. At my age there are many things you forget.

[cn174]

Maybe if there had been six referees he wouldn't have given that goal....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/s...rem/7746890.stm

[colin]

Now that seems a very good idea.

It should help with some offside decisions & penalties too.