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#Post#: 99490--------------------------------------------------
Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: TA_Ref
Date: January 2, 2026, 1:50 pm
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This post is nothing to do with what Chris Kavanagh has done,
more so what he’s being told to.
So Kavanagh was in charge of Liverpool v Leeds at 5:30pm and
he’s been appointed to a game that kicks off 48 hours (!!) after
his first kick off.
Now I remember when a bucket load of officials had to be
shuffled around after Rob Jones’ European match was postponed
(with Harrington 4O). The reasoning given by the PGMO was
because ‘the officials needed the usual recovery period’.
My question is then, what is the usual recovery that match
officials require? To give Kavanagh Liverpool v Leeds, then have
to travel to Bournemouth (I assume by plane) to then start
Bournemouth v Arsenal 48 hours later is ridiculous. Is this a
dereliction of duty from the PGMO by not giving him enough rest
and not caring for our officials?
#Post#: 99499--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: bmb
Date: January 2, 2026, 5:01 pm
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He has to drive down. 283 miles/5 hours. He does get an
overnight stay in a hotel tonight but the same drive home
tomorrow night after the game. It is very wrong…
I’m delighted to have him as ref but it was still wrong to
appoint him to the game. He’s going to be completely exhausted
and mentally drained. Hopefully he’ll get to sleep from when he
arrives home at silly o clock (probably 1/2am) on Sunday morning
all day and Sunday night just to give his body some proper
recovery time.
#Post#: 99508--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Claretman
Date: January 3, 2026, 10:02 am
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--- Quote from: bmb link ---
>
> He has to drive down. 283 miles/5 hours. He does get an
overnight stay in a hotel tonight but the same drive home
tomorrow night after the game. It is very wrong…
>
> I’m delighted to have him as ref but it was still wrong to
appoint him to the game. He’s going to be completely exhausted
and mentally drained. Hopefully he’ll get to sleep from when he
arrives home at silly o clock (probably 1/2am) on Sunday morning
all day and Sunday night just to give his body some proper
recovery time.
>
--- End Quote ---
And then another long drive back to shockley park for a weds
evening game as var 7.30pm ko. He cant even camp out on bmbs
naughty step.
#Post#: 99510--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Jtd508110
Date: January 3, 2026, 10:31 am
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It does pose a fairly interesting question - how do referee's
travel to/from matches. I remember seeing Kevin Friend around
6/7 years ago leaving a train at Runcorn the evening before
officiating at Goodison Park. I was quite surprised he'd
travelled on public transport, but I'd say that train travel is
more relaxing than a long drive.
#Post#: 99512--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: greeny
Date: January 3, 2026, 11:20 am
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I guess for games in London, it's more straightforward to either
fly or get the train down, whereas it's not quite as easy for
games like Bournemouth, where there isn't a direct connection by
train/plane from most of the UK.
#Post#: 99513--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Leggy
Date: January 3, 2026, 11:21 am
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It will take a serious accident (i.e. a tired referee / AR
falling asleep at the wheel) before anything is done about it.
No match official is going to complain as that would not be
career enhancing and - once again - match officials are treated
in a way that would never happen to a player, remembering that
players at this level do not need to make their own transport
arrangements.
If they want them to be "professional", perhaps they should
treat them as such.
#Post#: 99516--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Claretman
Date: January 3, 2026, 12:31 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Leggy link ---
>
> It will take a serious accident (i.e. a tired referee / AR
falling asleep at the wheel) before anything is done about it.
No match official is going to complain as that would not be
career enhancing and - once again - match officials are treated
in a way that would never happen to a player, remembering that
players at this level do not need to make their own transport
arrangements.
>
> If they want them to be "professional", perhaps they should
treat them as such.
>
--- End Quote ---
Being tired at the wheel isnt good, More so in bad weather
#Post#: 99518--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Comeonref
Date: January 3, 2026, 1:09 pm
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This actually highlights a huge problem with the appointments of
SG1 officials. I don’t have a chart to indicate which officials
have had particular games but if there was it would show a large
unbalance of officials on SG1.
My point is that all officials on SG 1 should be treated equally
and be given an equal number of games. They are either good
enough. They have reached the top and should be treated the
same. I’m pretty sure if there was a table it would show a
totally unbalanced set of appointments.
If that is the case then those making the appointments should be
taken to task. Maybe then you wouldn’t need to overwork such
officials like Mr Kavanagh
#Post#: 99524--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: greeny
Date: January 3, 2026, 1:43 pm
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Kavanagh is top of the table with 16 appointments, while
Salisbury has had 7, Brooks 6 and Robinson 5 - accepting
injuries have played a part in some of those tallies being low.
For comparison, here are the highest/lowest number of games in
some of the other European leagues
France - highest is 10 (Brisard)/lowest is 3 (El Hadj who has
been injured, next lowest is 6)
Spain - highest is 10 (Ortiz/Gil/Cordero)/lowest is 6
(Sanchez/Martinez)
Germany - highest is 8 (Zwayer/Jablonski/Siebert/Brand)/lowest
(not including Schroder on 1) is 4
(Petersen/Gerach/Aytekin/Ittrich, some of who have been injured)
So Chris has had twice the number of games as the top referees
in Germany.
#Post#: 99526--------------------------------------------------
Re: Chris Kavanagh
DIR By: Comeonref
Date: January 3, 2026, 2:41 pm
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That edges to supporting my thoughts. You have the fifa refs who
are also active midweek. It surely makes sense to give them a
break at the weekend and give the others more games. I suspect
that Oliver and Taylor will be well up there with games similar
to Kavanagh. If you are SG1. Then you should be getting equal
games to the others. It does seem to me that messrs Webb and
Dallas have their favourites and their own agenda which is
hardly fair.
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