Ref Watch

[A Real Mysteron]

I'm sure there will be a warm welcome for the man who arguably ruined Nathan Elder as a football league player.

[GP200]

I'm sure there will be a warm welcome for the man who arguably ruined Nathan Elder as a football league player.

..............think that accolade goes to the thug at Rotherham..........

[A Real Mysteron]

Elder lost the physical side of his game after Attwell and most of his confidence in my opinion. If he had had his arm up to protect himself better against Mills he may not have got clattered so badly.

[Owlsmoor_Bee]

I'm sure there will be a warm welcome for the man who arguably ruined Nathan Elder as a football league player.

Oh it'll certainly be warm....

[Stanley]

Hopefully another Crewe like performance from us meaning Atwell won't have any big decisions to make which its' when it all goes wrong for him.

I just hope we are not talking about him at 5.00 pm....

[Glenisterbee]

It always makes me angry when I read of referees like Attwell and others who have "mares" refereeing a premiership game , - are then disciplined and "demoted" to the lower leagues. The implication behind this is "well it doesn't matter if he makes errors in those matches", he is being punished.
So are we! Just like premiership managers, lower league managers can lose their jobs and fans see their teams robbed of promotions by "lousy" referees - if they keep making mistakes they should be asked /told to quit the job.
We seem to have had more than our fair share of rubbish officiating at our matches why should we (along with other lower league clubs) have to tolerate incompetence. Once upon a time referees used to officiate in all 4 leagues - which I am sure was beneficial for both them and the clubs - some good/some average and some poor. Now, it is deemed that only the elite premiership league has to have the best.
Their greed and well being is seen as vital - the rest of us are of no consequence.
So much for the legacy of the Premiership.

You have hit the nail firmly on the head. Attwell was promoted too early and found himself very much out of his depth. Lets hope he doesnt make a fool of himself again today.

[Boscombe Bee]

So away to Orient and a bit of a surprise.

Phil Dowd will be refereeing. Yes him, the rather portly PL ref, one of the more recognisable faces in refereeing in the country. He has reffed Bees games before, but some years ago now.
He will be assisted by John Brooks of Leicester and Lee Betts of Great Yarmouth.

Brooks is a PL lino. Betts is a regular at GP, lining in 2 games last season. Firstly the win at MK Dons and earlier in the season the goalless draw at home to Scunthorpe.

4th official Andy D'Urso. So lets hope nothing happens to Mr Dowd

[Artixbee]

With Cooks comments last weekend and the Rowlands history, I think the referees association are preparing for a nasty one, so thought it appropriate to call some of their supposed top officals who have not been called upon by UEFA this week to step in for this one.

[Castleview]

With Cooks comments last weekend and the Rowlands history, I think the referees association are preparing for a nasty one, so thought it appropriate to call some of their supposed top officals who have not been called upon by UEFA this week to step in for this one.

I doubt if it's anything to do with a potentially "nasty" game. Sky probably dont want the normal third tier dross refereeing their live match.

[Markybee]

You have hit the nail firmly on the head. Attwell was promoted too early and found himself very much out of his depth. Lets hope he doesnt make a fool of himself again today.

Have to say I thought Attwell was excellent. Suprised me too

[To Bee Someone]

Have to say I thought Attwell was excellent. Suprised me too

I thought he should have booked Henderson but besides that he had a good game. Got the two penalty shouts spot on IMHO

[Boscombe Bee]

I doubt if it's anything to do with a potentially "nasty" game. Sky probably dont want the normal third tier dross refereeing their live match.

I think there may be some truth in your thoughts and in Artixbee's thoughts. Unusual appointment for a UEFA referee. Maybe Dowd wanted the game as he is only 4th officiating this weekend, and hasnt been out in the middle since 25 August. Which can only be to our advantage. I dont see Dowd as wanting to spoil the match, like some do on TV (Webster!! who is no longer a FL ref), as he has nothing to prove. Im sure he will just want a nice quiet entertaining game and would like the Bees to win 3-0!

[Boscombe Bee]

He also probably went PGMOL and asked for a game similar to the Cup Final he refereed in May, and they said 'Phil, we got just the right game, what are you doing Thursday night?'

[Boscombe Bee]

On to the Pornmuff game.

Ref... Oliver Langford of Wednesbury
Linos...Charles Breakspear of Walton-on-Thames & Michael Bull of Chelmsford
4th official...Mark Derrien of Dorchester

Langford reffed just one Bees game last season, the JPT defeat at Barnet, and the last league game was the 2-0 win at Southampton. That does seem a long time ago now!
Breakspear is a face we used to see a lot at GP, because of his locality, but not so much anymore as he is a PL & UEFA lino from last season. He in fact lined the Arsenal-Saints game this weekend. Unusually for a PL lino he is also a Blue Sq Prem ref, so I wouldnt be surprised to see him as a FL ref next season.
Mr Bull is a different proposition all together! Possibly one of my most hated officials! The lino who gave that awful offside decision against Alexander at Colchester last season (local bias!) and followed it up with another indifference performance in the home game against Bury. We do seem to get this official a lot, not sure what we have done to deserve that! He is also been a Blue Square Prem ref, but for some years now, so lets hope his chance for promotion has passed!
Odd that the 2 linos would be seen to be from the South East rather that the South West or West Country for this match.

[North London Bee]

Langford reffed the Gillingham game when Nathan Elder was sent off

[Moysy]

Tomorrows ref, Mr Graham, seems to have a liking for sending bees off :-
Deon Burton in 2008
Charlie Mac 2009
& Pim 2010

[North London Bee]

Used to be a shocker, hope he has calmed down

[staines_bee]

Have just seen the preview on the club website... this one doesn't seem to agree with us for some reason.

[mhead bee]

It always makes me angry when I read of referees like Attwell and others who have "mares" refereeing a premiership game , - are then disciplined and "demoted" to the lower leagues. The implication behind this is "well it doesn't matter if he makes errors in those matches", he is being punished.
So are we! Just like premiership managers, lower league managers can lose their jobs and fans see their teams robbed of promotions by "lousy" referees - if they keep making mistakes they should be asked /told to quit the job.
We seem to have had more than our fair share of rubbish officiating at our matches why should we (along with other lower league clubs) have to tolerate incompetence. Once upon a time referees used to officiate in all 4 leagues - which I am sure was beneficial for both them and the clubs - some good/some average and some poor. Now, it is deemed that only the elite premiership league has to have the best.
Their greed and well being is seen as vital - the rest of us are of no consequence.
So much for the legacy of the Premiership.

I hate to burst the bubble but this simply is NOT the case. It is a myth fulled by ignorant pundits and presenters who have no idea if the facts.

Dermot Gallagher and Graeme Poll have both been on talk sport in the last 6 month saying this doesn't happen and is not a policy in any way shape or form. Every single premiership referee has to take charge of a certain amount of lower league games in a season, lazy pundits always highlight a premiership refs poor performance as being linked to his next game in the championship. What they do not highlight is the amount of times a ref makes a hash in the premiership and doesn't wind up at GP the following Saturday which far out ways the former.
Didn't that fat bloke take charge of our game at Leyton last week, I don't remember him having a bad game in the premiership the week before.

No, it is just a big lie so do not let it wind you up anymore.

[nick logan]

Tomorrows ref, Mr Graham, seems to have a liking for sending bees off :-
Deon Burton in 2008
Charlie Mac 2009
& Pim 2010

ffs * bets on Oldham *

[mattbee]

I hate to burst the bubble but this simply is NOT the case. It is a myth fulled by ignorant pundits and presenters who have no idea if the facts.

Dermot Gallagher and Graeme Poll have both been on talk sport in the last 6 month saying this doesn't happen and is not a policy in any way shape or form. Every single premiership referee has to take charge of a certain amount of lower league games in a season, lazy pundits always highlight a premiership refs poor performance as being linked to his next game in the championship. What they do not highlight is the amount of times a ref makes a hash in the premiership and doesn't wind up at GP the following Saturday which far out ways the former.
Didn't that fat bloke take charge of our game at Leyton last week, I don't remember him having a bad game in the premiership the week before.

No, it is just a big lie so do not let it wind you up anymore.

But there is some substance to what Yorkie is saying, yes Premier League refs will referee lower league games but someone like Atwell has been deemed so poor that he was been demoted from the 'select group' Premier League list and so wont referee at that level unless he improves but he is seen to be ok to referee at lower league level.

Also im almost certain there has been cases where a top flight ref has made an absolute rick in a game and the powers that be have decided to keep that ref out the limelight if he was due to ref a big game the next week and give him something like a 4th official role in a fixture. If that same ref made that rick and then was due to officiate a Brentford game the next weekend I'm pretty sure he would stay in place for it as planned.

[Boscombe Bee]

I hate to burst the bubble but this simply is NOT the case. It is a myth fulled by ignorant pundits and presenters who have no idea if the facts.

Dermot Gallagher and Graeme Poll have both been on talk sport in the last 6 month saying this doesn't happen and is not a policy in any way shape or form. Every single premiership referee has to take charge of a certain amount of lower league games in a season, lazy pundits always highlight a premiership refs poor performance as being linked to his next game in the championship. What they do not highlight is the amount of times a ref makes a hash in the premiership and doesn't wind up at GP the following Saturday which far out ways the former.
Didn't that fat bloke take charge of our game at Leyton last week, I don't remember him having a bad game in the premiership the week before.

No, it is just a big lie so do not let it wind you up anymore.

Not strictly true, Martin Atkinson did not referee a Football League match at all last season, this weekend he is in the middle for one for the first time since May 2011, but you are right in saying that there is no rule that says if you have a bad game in the PL you are demoted to the FL otherwise Lee Mason would be reffing in the FL every other week.

[Boscombe Bee]

Sorry bit slow on the details this weekend but as Moysy pointed out Fred Graham is the ref today. Fred is from Stanford-le-Hope and has been pointed out likes showing red cards playing in red&white stripes. Lets hope he is confused today by the silver!

Linos are...John Magill from Colchester & Darren Blunden of Dartford
4th official....Robert Hodges of Milton Keynes.

Magill is another familiar face at GP. He last lined here in the defeat to Stevenage in October, and the previous year against Yeovil. Not a lucky omen at all. Blunden too is making his annual visit to GP, last season lining the opening win of the season against Yeovil. Both linos ref in the Isthmian League.

[mhead bee]

Fred Graham, anonymous first half but holy crap bags that fella stank the whole county up in the second half. What was going on? The guy just went to pot, so many free kicks that baffled, missed so many incidents with the pick of the bunch being the kick to farids achilles, plain shocking.
Hopefully will not see this cock at GP for a long time.

[BFC1997]

Ref today was appalling, agreed..