Last week I wrote about the goal that shouldn’t have been allowed for Chelsea against Cardiff. Another goal that weekend that shouldn’t have counted took place in the Bundesliga, during the Bayer Leverkusen v Hoffenheim match. From a corner Stephen …
There was a very odd goal scored in the Premier League last Saturday and I am sad to have to admit that it was a mistake on the part of the referee. Those of you who watched the BBC’s Match …
When does a goalkeeper’s control of the ball end? Read more »
A couple of weeks ago I was at Reading FC’s training ground for an academy game, when I bumped into David Downs, Reading FC historian, Reading Post columnist and Welfare Officer for the Academy. David raised an incident that had …
In 1933, a local referee, Charles Kearse, proposed at a meeting of the Reading Referees Association that they make an award at the end of each season for the club linesman who received the highest recommendations from members refereeing on …
When I was on holiday in France last month I caught a snatch of a video of a football match on television. The ball was about to go into an empty goal when the club physio, who was standing alongside …
The biggest talking point in the Arsenal v Sunderland match earlier this month was not Arsenal’s three goals but the non-goal of Sunderland. If you remember it, Bacary Sagna of Arsenal was pulling and holding Jazy Altidore of Sunderland as …
Playing the advantage not always the best option Read more »
What a great summer of football on television with the Confederation Cup in Brazil and then the European Women’s Cup. What! You didn’t watch it. If like my neighbour, you ‘can’t get into watching women’s football’; the Sweden v Germany …
Back in July one of the countries leading dailies had the headline, ‘Offside rule changes could cause chaos for new season.’ It reported that the Premier League could be thrown into chaos as a FIFA amendment to the offside rule …
Regular readers of this column may recall that last season I finished with a moan about BBC’s Match of the Day and how I felt it failed its audience. Sad to say that I start this season with a classic …
Should unnaturally positioned hands be penalised? Read more »
I was asked recently about the origins of the “From the Middle” column and the RRA magazine “The Reading Referee” so here is a potted history of the column and the magazine which to some extent coincide. The magazine was started …
History of the RRA magazine and ‘From The Middle’ articles Read more »
