Recent content by LothianRef

Am I correct in saying that, for example, if the player took their shirt off in celebration of the (soon to be disallowed) goal, then the caution would still stand? i.e. any disciplinary action still stands, even if the decision doesn’t.

Glad you mentioned that as I’d forgotten about that until now. It did look like he pointed for a corner and then changed his mind - presumably after comms with one of the ARs. Correct decision even if it looked slightly messy.

That’s one of the best statements I’ve seen from the SFA in a long time. I get the impression from it that this has been building up for a while and (rightly) Wednesday night was the straw that broke the camel’s back. For example, Michael Stewart was banned by the SFA from Hampden for April’s...

I think this has highlighted an interesting contradiction in the wording of the handball law - although who is surprised by that 😜 It states that it’s a handball offence if a player handles the ball when their hand has made their body unnaturally bigger. However it then goes on to define...

I was going to post a separate thread but it links in with this so I’ll put it here instead. Hibs equaliser was allowed to stand as the VAR didn’t believe there was conclusive evidence of a handball.

If a player tries to push an opponent out of the way how much force is necessary? I’d say none, yet nobody would be expecting a red card if it was player on player. I think the threshold for what’s “acceptable” for pushing match officials should be lower than players, but the LOTG don’t...

It’s not a challenge for the ball (obviously) so careless, reckless etc doesn’t come into it for me. Therefore you’re left to decide whether or not it’s violent conduct. VC does mention excessive force or brutality, but this doesn’t come anywhere near that in my opinion. Caution for lack of...

Where is this in the laws of the game?

If he pushed a player like that would you be sending him off?

People are very rarely shouting at you personally - it’s the shirt you’re wearing that they’re shouting at.

A couple of years ago I was refereeing a youth game on a horrible day with strong wind and rain. Player went to take a throw in and the ball slightly slipped from his hand as he threw it. It was probably a foul throw but it was borderline enough that I was happy to let it go, especially with the...

I get that they’re “managing an event” as much as officiating a football game but somebody needs to be brave and caution him for it, and if he continues then give him a second caution. It’s the most blatant example there is of “clearly/persistently not respecting the confines of their own team’s...

It’s a clear foul and yellow card for me. Take a pick of SPA or reckless. I don’t see it as endangering safety, and the Rangers defender is close enough to provide cover so not DOGO. I do however think you should have had a penalty for the shirt pull on David Watson.

Poor decision for the referee to give it in the first instance but sometimes our eyes deceive us and we think we saw something that didn’t actually happen. So I do have some sympathy - we’re all human after all and mistakes happen. Not really sure what the VAR is thinking though. I can’t see...

I think this thread has been skewed by the predominantly English membership of this forum, and the reluctance to allow comms in England. Up here in Scotland their use is much more widespread and it's a common site even for grassroots finals now to see the three officials micd up. Many of the...