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#Post#: 106609--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: Leggy
Date: May 24, 2026, 1:02 pm
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Many on this forum have been rightly critical of referees and
(more importantly) their bosses for issuing directives and then
rapidly retreating from them in a few weeks because the players
/ fans / "the game" does not want this.
So far, there has been a surprising degree of resilience and no
retreat from the directive that hair pulling is violent conduct.
I hope this continues.
Any player placing their hands on the body of an opponent runs a
risk of conceding a foul for holding, pushing, etc. They may
get penalised, or they may not but there is nothing within the
laws of the game that makes it a good idea. If - even
accidentally - this results in a hair-pull then that risk
carries a higher "tariff". Players should be well aware of this
by now and respond accordingly. Referees should be instructed
to carry on enforcing as before.
#Post#: 106611--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: El Referee
Date: May 24, 2026, 1:49 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: rustyref link ---
>
> [quote author=mbj44 link=topic=8063.msg106591#msg106591
date=1779632614]
> Totally agree, dont be surprised if a lot more players have
long hair next season in PL if this continues. Today is a
perfect example of what we are seeing, defenders blindly
reaching to make contact with the player and hold the shirt so
they know where they are. An inch wrong with the hand and long
hair down the back, instead of shirt he gets hair for a split
second. Suddenly its a pen and red whereas if hed got shirt its
play on and no issue. Ridiculous and another example of
over-forensic VAR. And the PGMOL wonder why the Championship
voted against any form of VAR for next season
>
--- End Quote ---
If he was trying to grab his shirt, and he really wasn't, that
is a weak argument as grabbing someone's shirt isn't allowed.
It wasn't blindly, he had a look before grabbing his hair.
And the Championship clubs rejected VAR because of the cost, not
because they don't like it. They had the option of paying a lot
of money for it or going for the VAR-lite option and seeing
issues like they are having in Scotland.
[/quote]
Who says grabbing someone’s shirt isn’t allowed? If this is the
case, we are going to see a hell of a lot more fouls given from
set pieces, as shirt pulling goes on at every set piece.
#Post#: 106612--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: El Referee
Date: May 24, 2026, 1:53 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Leggy link ---
>
> So far, there has been a surprising degree of resilience and
no retreat from the directive that hair pulling is violent
conduct. I hope this continues.
>
--- End Quote ---
Yes there has been a retreat. We have seen occurrences in which
hair pulling isn’t punished with a red card. Why? Because
nowhere in law does it say that pulling hair is a red card.
For it to be a red card, it needs to meet relevant criteria.
IMO, this criteria isn’t met in this clip
#Post#: 106616--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: doowe
Date: May 24, 2026, 3:22 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: El Referee link ---
>
> [quote author=rustyref link=topic=8063.msg106596#msg106596
date=1779633186]
> [quote author=mbj44 link=topic=8063.msg106591#msg106591
date=1779632614]
> Totally agree, dont be surprised if a lot more players have
long hair next season in PL if this continues. Today is a
perfect example of what we are seeing, defenders blindly
reaching to make contact with the player and hold the shirt so
they know where they are. An inch wrong with the hand and long
hair down the back, instead of shirt he gets hair for a split
second. Suddenly its a pen and red whereas if hed got shirt its
play on and no issue. Ridiculous and another example of
over-forensic VAR. And the PGMOL wonder why the Championship
voted against any form of VAR for next season
>
--- End Quote ---
If he was trying to grab his shirt, and he really wasn't, that
is a weak argument as grabbing someone's shirt isn't allowed.
It wasn't blindly, he had a look before grabbing his hair.
And the Championship clubs rejected VAR because of the cost, not
because they don't like it. They had the option of paying a lot
of money for it or going for the VAR-lite option and seeing
issues like they are having in Scotland.
[/quote]
Who says grabbing someone’s shirt isn’t allowed? If this is the
case, we are going to see a hell of a lot more fouls given from
set pieces, as shirt pulling goes on at every set piece.
[/quote]
And is rearely penalised.
#Post#: 106617--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: HChip
Date: May 24, 2026, 3:28 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Microscopist link ---
>
> If Taylor or Oliver had been refereeing and given the two
decisions referred to I doubt whether any referee on VAR would
have called them to the monitor
>
--- End Quote ---
I don’t get when people say this sort of thing. This is by no
means aimed at you, just a general comment on this matter.
That’s almost like saying Chris Kavanagh wouldn’t give Sergio
Ramos a yellow card because he’s afraid of him.
Whether it’s John Brooks, Nick Hopton, Matt Donohue, Alex
Chilowicz, or whoever and whatever the level of the VAR Official
is, they all get the exact same training.
No VAR will alter procedures based on the referee, whether it’s
Anthony Taylor, Michael Oliver. VAR Officials will not feel
scared or ashamed to send Taylor or Oliver to the screen, it’s
their job.
People on the lower levels of the pyramid such as Howard,
Chilowicz will operate VAR the same way whether they are in the
ear of Anthony Taylor or Tim Robinson.
It doesn’t matter the referee, the VAR officials must and will
always operate the same way.
#Post#: 106633--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: Leggy
Date: May 25, 2026, 6:24 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: El Referee link ---
>
> [quote author=rustyref link=topic=8063.msg106596#msg106596
date=1779633186]
> [quote author=mbj44 link=topic=8063.msg106591#msg106591
date=1779632614]
> Totally agree, dont be surprised if a lot more players have
long hair next season in PL if this continues. Today is a
perfect example of what we are seeing, defenders blindly
reaching to make contact with the player and hold the shirt so
they know where they are. An inch wrong with the hand and long
hair down the back, instead of shirt he gets hair for a split
second. Suddenly its a pen and red whereas if hed got shirt its
play on and no issue. Ridiculous and another example of
over-forensic VAR. And the PGMOL wonder why the Championship
voted against any form of VAR for next season
>
--- End Quote ---
If he was trying to grab his shirt, and he really wasn't, that
is a weak argument as grabbing someone's shirt isn't allowed.
It wasn't blindly, he had a look before grabbing his hair.
And the Championship clubs rejected VAR because of the cost, not
because they don't like it. They had the option of paying a lot
of money for it or going for the VAR-lite option and seeing
issues like they are having in Scotland.
[/quote]
Who says grabbing someone’s shirt isn’t allowed? If this is the
case, we are going to see a hell of a lot more fouls given from
set pieces, as shirt pulling goes on at every set piece.
[/quote]
I do not think that - as written - the laws of the game permit
grabbing an opponent's shirt. What is currently happening,
however, is that this offence is not being penalised correctly.
#Post#: 106638--------------------------------------------------
Re: J SMITH - Bolton v Stockport (EFL final)
DIR By: mac
Date: May 25, 2026, 7:06 am
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Holding an opponent is a direct free kick offence, but one that
does not require CRUEF. I guess it’s like that because you can
accidentally carelessly trip someone, but you can’t accidentally
carelessly hold someone. You can accidentally hold a different
bit of someone that you intended to, but maybe that could be a
reasonable amendment as there are ‘degrees’ of holding.
The act yesterday was not really violent, and no more violent
than some other holding we see. If the reasoning for red is
invasion of space or causing offence then there’s a law covering
offensive gestures that may suit this action more than violent
conduct.
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