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Author: Dick Sawdon Smith

Let’s regain Eusebio’s spirit of the game

One of the perks of being a referee years ago was that you had the opportunity of being a steward at Wembley Stadium for the big matches. There was no remuneration apart from a packed lunch. However, when you had …

Let’s regain Eusebio’s spirit of the game Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 17 January 2014 Posted in From the middle

Diving must be stopped says Sepp Blatter – but is it that easy?

Once again I am prompted to return to what the law book describes as ‘attempting to deceive the referee by feigning injury or pretending to have been fouled,’ which normally gets referred to as diving. This is not by the …

Diving must be stopped says Sepp Blatter – but is it that easy? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 11 January 2014 Posted in From the middle

Players’ mistakes can cost games so why always blame the referee?

Brendan Rogers has progressed well since his painfully short term as Reading Manager and is now manager of Liverpool of course. I was disappointed however to hear his comments on the Liverpool game against ManchesterCity. I agree with him that …

Players’ mistakes can cost games so why always blame the referee? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 3 January 2014 Posted in From the middle

Did Lloris need to scramble to save goal from drop ball?

The League Cup seems to be well down the pecking order when it comes to clubs’ priorities and for television companies these days. In its present metamorphosis as the Capital One Cup, for most viewers it only warrants a late …

Did Lloris need to scramble to save goal from drop ball? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 30 December 2013 Posted in From the middle

Fifty years of instant replay torture

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the anniversary of the founding of the Football Association and with it the Rules of Association Football, which happened one hundred and fifty years ago. There is another anniversary of an event …

Fifty years of instant replay torture Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 29 December 2013 Posted in From the middle

Can Platini introduce the sin bin into football?

For many years, Michel Platini, the renowned French ex-footballer, was the right-hand man of Fifa President Sepp Blatter. In fact many regarded him as the ‘power behind the throne’. Certainly, he seemed to be the one that Blatter turned to …

Can Platini introduce the sin bin into football? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 28 December 2013 Posted in From the middle

A book that changed the world

One hundred and fifty years ago this week, 8th December 1863, a meeting of ex public schoolboys, representing a dozen London and suburban football clubs, took place in a pub, the Freemasons Arms in Great-queen Street, London. They met to …

A book that changed the world Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 5 December 2013 Posted in From the middle

Is football seen as the cheating game?

Reading Prison closed its doors to wrongdoers for the last time last Friday, after 170 years. It was made famous of course, by Oscar Wilde and his Ballad of Reading Gaol. In its later years it became a young offenders …

Is football seen as the cheating game? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 3 December 2013 Posted in From the middle

Technology is already helping with decisions

For many years now there have been calls to use technology in football in order to get better decisions. When most people talk about technology they automatically think of goal line technology, which has finally arrived in the Premier League …

Technology is already helping with decisions Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 21 November 2013 Posted in From the middle

Players don’t always have to leave the pitch after injury treatment

A very unusual incident happened at the Reading v Queens Park Rangers match at the Madejski Stadium last Saturday and was one which I know bemused many spectators. There was a free kick awarded to Reading outside their opponent’s penalty …

Players don’t always have to leave the pitch after injury treatment Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 20 November 2013 Posted in From the middle

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