Rookie Ref axed this weekend again after Anfield horror show
-
Referee Stuart Attwell axed from Premier League this weekend after Anfield horror show
In a Stu: Referee Attwell won't be officiating in the Premier League this weekend after he upset Sunderland players at the weekend
Stuart Attwell will not have a Premier League game to referee this weekend following his controversial handling of Liverpool's 2-2 draw against Sunderland on Saturday.
The 27-year-old official has instead been scheduled to be fourth official for Tottenham's home game against Aston Villa.
Significantly, while Attwell was given instant official backing for his decision to allow Liverpool's controversial first goal, there has been no defence from the Professional Game Match Officials Board for his failure to send off Steven Gerrard, who elbowed Danny Welbeck. Because Attwell showed only a yellow card, there can be no retrospective charge for the England captain.
Attwell has been involved in a series of high-profile incidents since being promoted to the Football League in 2007.
-
The Official Line: Bungler Stuart Attwell must take a break after his latest gaffe
By Graham Poll
Stuart Attwell's performance at Anfield convinced me that he should not be refereeing in the Barclays Premier League. He maybe even needs a break from the game for a couple of weeks.
His poor decisions for Liverpool's opening goal against Sunderland and Steven Gerrard's elbow on Danny Welbeck were the latest in a catalogue of errors and he looks like he cannot cope.
By the letter of the law, Attwell did nothing wrong in allowing play to continue after Michael Turner's free kick, which Fernando Torres pounced on to set up Dirk Kuyt. Attwell stopped Sunderland taking the free kick from the wrong place and then, as Turner kicked the ball, the game was live again.
But Attwell had no idea what was going on because he wasn't looking.
The whispering game: Stuart Attwell (right) speaks to his assistant before allowing Liverpool's first goal against Sunderland
FIVE MORE OF HIS BIGGEST GAFFES
SEPT 11, 2010 Arsenal v Bolton - Dubiously dismisses Gary Cahill for foul on Marouane Chamakh.
AUG 28, 2010 Wolves v Newcastle - Gives 12 yellow cards and fails to award Wolves a penalty for clear foul on Matt Jarvis.
MARCH 15, 2010 Liverpool v Portsmouth - Doesn’t even book Steven Gerrard for striking Michael Brown with a forearm.
NOV 2, 2008 Derby v Nottm Forest - Disallows two
legitimate Derby ‘goals’.
AUG 20, 2008 Watford v Reading - Gives ‘ghost goal’ to Reading when shot goes wide.Referees are taught to run backwards so they can see everything, but Attwell did not, meaning he couldn't use his common sense to see that Turner was giving the ball to goalkeeper Simon Mignolet rather than taking the free kick himself. That often happens in a game, so I understand why Steve Bruce was angry.
It was strange that the governing body came out and defended Attwell - they never normally do that with referees. It looks like special treatment.
The other incident Attwell got wrong was Gerrard's elbow on Welbeck, which was a clear red-card offence. Again, Attwell didn't see it but he should have admitted that and not punished Gerrard at all - that way it could have been dealt with retrospectively.
There is no shame in admitting you don't see something. Referees are only human, after all. But by giving a yellow card, Attwell was suggesting he had seen the offence and it was only worth a caution.
I don't think it is a question of age - Michael Oliver is 25 and was excellent again at Arsenal on Saturday. I feel sorry for Attwell (27) because he can't cope and the last thing a referee wants is pity.
-
-
I thought they said that the pass back was legitimate?
-
Sack this kelong ref pls
-
maybe, this was to balance out the beach ball incident??
-
Referee Stuart Attwell shown the red card as Premier League axe official from fixture list
Take a break: Referee Stuart Attwell has been axed by the Premier League for this weekend's fixtures
Stuart Attwell appears to have been given an extended break from refereeing duties to recover his composure after a string of high-profile errors.
Sportsmail reported a fortnight ago that Attwell had been dropped - he was restricted to the role of fourth official in the last round of Barclays Premier League games - and this week the 28-year-old referee is off the list completely.
Attwell is suffering from the fall-out of his controversial handling of the 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Sunderland on September 25.
