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#Post#: 111350--------------------------------------------------
Re: Fri 4th – Thu 10th SEP 2026
DIR By: Bogart
Date: September 8, 2026, 3:01 am
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Is it me or is the standard of officiating in L1 this season
reaching an all time low
#Post#: 111361--------------------------------------------------
Re: Fri 4th – Thu 10th SEP 2026
DIR By: ShoeRef
Date: September 8, 2026, 6:54 am
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--- Quote from: Vernon Bear link ---
>
> [quote author=olliebcafc link=topic=8360.msg111210#msg111210
date=1788626649]
> Bradford City FC (First Team) v Mansfield Town F.C. (First
Team)
> Football League 1
> Referee: Kennard-Kettle, Zac
> Assistant Referee: Clayton, Samuel
> Assistant Referee: McGrath, Matthew
> Fourth Official: Ledgeway, Conor
>
> The best way to describe today’s game would be to say it was a
game of two halves. In the first, Kettle Jr got most decisions
right apart from a missed yellow card and a handball by Phillips
in the midfield which he somehow didn’t spot. I also thought
Mansfield should have had a penalty but nobody on field had any
complaints.
>
> The second half started in similar fashion, with largely sound
decision making, until a terrible 5 minute spell just before the
hour mark. It was at this point I was informed the 4th official
had taken the whistle for the second half.
>
> If I didn’t know otherwise, I could have presumed Kettle
Senior was now in charge. Sadly, Mr Ledgeway did not find the
going easy and got progressively worse as the game went on.
Decision making quickly turned into a massive lottery, and it
was obvious he had never refereed higher than the regional
leagues before, let alone in front of 19,000 people.
>
> On 60 minutes Louis Reed was booked - a good one, but it took
several whistles to get his attention and far too long to issue
the card. This was when his control started to slip away.
>
> 3 minutes later Sarcevic rightly joined him for reckless, this
time the card out straight away. The game had only just
restarted when Sarcevic then stupidly pulled an opponent’s shirt
stopping a promising attack. Ledgeway appeared to go towards his
pocket but ultimately decided against sending him off. Sarcevic
did a good job at disappearing from the scene, but was very
lucky. He was subbed at the next stoppage…
>
> Mansfield then had a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper.
It was a blatant foul but again it took the referee far too long
to call it (really, his AR should have helped him out here). The
remaining 20 minutes saw two more cautions, the first when it
would have been better to play advantage, and the second after
he had played advantage but pulled it back after Mansfield had
shot wide. There was also a terrible tackle by Neufville, closer
to SFP than nothing, but the replacement referee just waved play
on.
>
> I absolutely have sympathy for Ledgeway being thrown into that
environment unexpectedly, but it was a really poor display which
affected the nature of the match. Hopefully, if he gets another
chance at this level, he learns from today. In hindsight it may
have been better for the senior AR to replace Kettle for the
second half.
>
--- End Quote ---
Last season they always had proper National List refs as fourth
officials in League One. Bradford are a big club and Mansfield
are a tough team to referee at the best of times. They should
have had a more experienced fourth official instead of exposing
a rookie in a game of that magnitude
[/quote]
Not entirely true. I know of a L2 referee who was 4th official
for a league one game at Leyton Orient. But by and large they
are National List Refs
#Post#: 111364--------------------------------------------------
Re: Fri 4th – Thu 10th SEP 2026
DIR By: elbee94
Date: September 8, 2026, 7:59 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: Vernon Bear link ---
>
> [quote author=olliebcafc link=topic=8360.msg111210#msg111210
date=1788626649]
> Bradford City FC (First Team) v Mansfield Town F.C. (First
Team)
> Football League 1
> Referee: Kennard-Kettle, Zac
> Assistant Referee: Clayton, Samuel
> Assistant Referee: McGrath, Matthew
> Fourth Official: Ledgeway, Conor
>
> The best way to describe today’s game would be to say it was a
game of two halves. In the first, Kettle Jr got most decisions
right apart from a missed yellow card and a handball by Phillips
in the midfield which he somehow didn’t spot. I also thought
Mansfield should have had a penalty but nobody on field had any
complaints.
>
> The second half started in similar fashion, with largely sound
decision making, until a terrible 5 minute spell just before the
hour mark. It was at this point I was informed the 4th official
had taken the whistle for the second half.
>
> If I didn’t know otherwise, I could have presumed Kettle
Senior was now in charge. Sadly, Mr Ledgeway did not find the
going easy and got progressively worse as the game went on.
Decision making quickly turned into a massive lottery, and it
was obvious he had never refereed higher than the regional
leagues before, let alone in front of 19,000 people.
>
> On 60 minutes Louis Reed was booked - a good one, but it took
several whistles to get his attention and far too long to issue
the card. This was when his control started to slip away.
>
> 3 minutes later Sarcevic rightly joined him for reckless, this
time the card out straight away. The game had only just
restarted when Sarcevic then stupidly pulled an opponent’s shirt
stopping a promising attack. Ledgeway appeared to go towards his
pocket but ultimately decided against sending him off. Sarcevic
did a good job at disappearing from the scene, but was very
lucky. He was subbed at the next stoppage…
>
> Mansfield then had a goal ruled out for a foul on the keeper.
It was a blatant foul but again it took the referee far too long
to call it (really, his AR should have helped him out here). The
remaining 20 minutes saw two more cautions, the first when it
would have been better to play advantage, and the second after
he had played advantage but pulled it back after Mansfield had
shot wide. There was also a terrible tackle by Neufville, closer
to SFP than nothing, but the replacement referee just waved play
on.
>
> I absolutely have sympathy for Ledgeway being thrown into that
environment unexpectedly, but it was a really poor display which
affected the nature of the match. Hopefully, if he gets another
chance at this level, he learns from today. In hindsight it may
have been better for the senior AR to replace Kettle for the
second half.
>
--- End Quote ---
Last season they always had proper National List refs as fourth
officials in League One. Bradford are a big club and Mansfield
are a tough team to referee at the best of times. They should
have had a more experienced fourth official instead of exposing
a rookie in a game of that magnitude
[/quote]
We had this discussion last season I think and it’s still not an
opinion I share. It’s just luck what games have injuries to
officials and to which officials - there’s double the chance
that an AR gets injured vs the referee, so if it was the
assistant that went down and a referee replaced them, there’s a
chance that they make mistakes and make gamechanging errors.
#Post#: 111760--------------------------------------------------
Re: Fri 4th – Thu 10th SEP 2026
DIR By: DBLTFC
Date: September 15, 2026, 2:06 am
---------------------------------------------------------
It hasn’t been mentioned on here yet, but a word on the
Stevenage v Luton match yesterday and the two goals for the home
side. Described by Chris Powell as two “blatant” errors.
The first one is a bit more subjective, but the second is a
clear offside and the assistant has the lines on the grass to
help him.
Andrew Humphries was a late replacement (I note that VAR under
fire Donohue was also a change) - pattern?
#Post#: 111762--------------------------------------------------
Re: Fri 4th – Thu 10th SEP 2026
DIR By: olliebcafc
Date: September 15, 2026, 3:39 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: DBLTFC link ---
>
> It hasn’t been mentioned on here yet, but a word on the
Stevenage v Luton match yesterday and the two goals for the home
side. Described by Chris Powell as two “blatant” errors.
>
> The first one is a bit more subjective, but the second is a
clear offside and the assistant has the lines on the grass to
help him.
>
> Andrew Humphries was a late replacement (I note that VAR under
fire Donohue was also a change) - pattern?
>
--- End Quote ---
The first goal Walsh just stops playing, it’s not a foul he’s
got as much of a hold on the Stevenage player. The second goal
Magennis does look offside but there’s no angle that proves it,
it was very tight.
Not sure what your last point is? Replacements happen all the
time (injury, family/work reasons etc.) - the game Donohue was
originally on was before the Manchester derby so it was nothing
to do with that.
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