The new FA video panel have said that Gary McAllister should not have been sent off on Monday night.

I gather that they review straight red card offences, like Barton's against Derby. As it could be said he was not the last man, there could be a possibility that he could be downgraded to a yellow card.

I would reckon that the club have to appeal against the decision and with Griffin's injury worries.....why not?

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Answers

Well, after YBR came oot and said there were no complaints about WB's red card, it would be a bit hypocritcal to appeal. Especially after what happened last year when Big Al got his marching orders, which IMHO, was a far less worthy of a red than Barton's.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Whatever he said at the time, surely it most be worth a try, Barton's effort was not as bad as McAllister's. Trouble with all this is they have set a precedent now.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Sorry DB.....gotta be with Screacher on this one.

YBR said in the post match interview on MOTD that he had no problem with the sending off and would have expected it if it had gone the opposite way so any kind of appeal would certainly be hypocritical.

Having said that, the Banbury Blockhead has to be questioned in that Aaron Hughes was in fact slightly further up field when Barton pulled Burton back, albeit that he was well off centre to the match movement.

Does anyone know why Gallagher hates us so much.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Fair enough lads, my thinking was that if Griffin isn't fit we'll probably have Charvet at right back. ;-)

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Well our superstar Ref, Graham Polehead, is looking a bit daft right now is he not? I admire him for admitting he was wrong to send Harmoan off, but with another red card decision now rescinded in the same game - meaning now that both Pool players should not have been sent off - what about the total farce that the match he was refereeing descended into?

It's just a matter of time before the affected team, Liverpool in this case, appeal to have a game replayed as it was materially influenced by incorrect decisions made by a referee.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

I would hate to sound like I am sticking up for the referees here but they are only human and we do make mistakes. It must be tough to make a on the spot decision in games where players are tugging at each others shirts all the time and each ref seems to have his own point where he thinks the player crossed the line. There are set rule guidelines for refs and they should be professional enough to follow them but some (like Poll) act like they havnt got a clue. Over here in yank land, american football has a thing called instant-replay where if theres any dispute, they go back and look at the replay on cameras at the side of the field. It works for them but alas thats one of the reasons why the game takes like three hours to play. It wouldnt work for our footy and it shouldnt have to as the games been doing ok for the past 100+ years. Theres always been a problem with refs but these days it seems that the players aint helping either. Theres such a desire to win games, for stardom, big money etc that many players let their greed come inbetween their sportsmanship. I think there should be some kind of hearing where teams get the chance to ask for say a rematch if there has been blatant mistakes by a ref and also if the ref makes too many bad decisions then he should be fired. Thats just my opinion, take it easy on me ;o)

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

They have been working with the instant replays in both Cricet and Rugby LEAGUE over here for a few years.

In cricket it doesn't matter as the game goes on for wekks anyway, but as far as I can make out there hasn't been a significant lengthening of the game in rugby when it is used.

In rugby particularly it isn't used all the time, but for potentially controversial decisions (border lines tries etc) and disciplinary matters players 'misbehaving' on the ref's blind side it seems to have been well utilised and widely accepted.

Now I don't want football to be constantly stopping and starting, nor do I want that human element removed completely, but I think in this day and age, if they can utilise technology, then they at least owe it to the people who pay the money, us, to look at and discuss the potential. I know that picture on a TV screen can be deceptive, but at least try and use them.

This would of course need the utilisation of the fourth (or even creating a fifth) official to look at the pics off the pitch, you can't have the picth referee looking at a giant screen, with all the players milling around him trying to influence.

Only an idea. Anyone with better knowledge of the situation in rugby. Has it made the game longer?

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000

Well to bring up another old tune...all these sendings off and cards are a good argument to institute some type of sin bin, imo. I'll probably never see the Barton incident and fair enough if what he did is technically a sending off offence. But it just seems insane that a player should be sent of for tugging on another player's shorts/shirt when others get away with nasty tackles and maybe only get a yellow card. With all the rule changes and instructions to the ref, where does it end? Better to institute some kind of sin bin, as in ice hockey, where a player leaves the pitch for a certain amount of time depending on their offence. Leave sendings off for only the most serious challenges, or persistent fouling. Such as if a player has spent more than X minutes in the sin bin, or is sent there X times, they should go. Punishment is immediate, gives the other side a temporary advantage, and ultimately gives both sides a bit fairer chance of finishing a game with all 11 players on the pitch. Also cuts down on subsequent suspensions. Though again, there can still be suspensions if a player collect X minutes or X times in the bin. It also brings the sending off back to what it should be....for the worst cases.

-- Anonymous, August 25, 2000