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Category: From the middle

Penalty Kick Changes

Although changes to the kick-off in this season’s rewrite of the Laws are well known now, this is not the case with changes to the taking of a penalty kick. Not changed is that with the exception of the nominated …

Penalty Kick Changes Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 8 December 2016 Posted in From the middle

Can you Spot a Foul Tackle from the Terraces?

Running the line at a game recently, I succumbed to a distraction that assistant referees are advised to avoid – chatting with spectators. Of course at bigger grounds this isn’t a problem, the spectators being further away   In this case …

Can you Spot a Foul Tackle from the Terraces? Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 1 December 2016 Posted in From the middle

What Players Must Wear

It used to be enough to get the whole team turned out in the same coloured shirts but now the International FA Board seem have an obsession with what players wear. There are so many regulations to be aware of. …

What Players Must Wear Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 25 November 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Equipment, Law 4, Undergarments
What Players Must Wear

Being Forewarned is not Victimisation

Robert Huth, Leicester City’s 6’4” former German international, has complained that he is being victimised by referees, because of his reputation. We have heard similar claims before of course, from people like Joey Barton for instance. The first thing I …

Being Forewarned is not Victimisation Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 17 November 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Persistant, Warning

Change to Advantage Law is Great Improvement

  One thing referees have always been told is that they should not play advantage when a player has committed an offence that would result in a red card. This might be a straight red card offence or a second …

Change to Advantage Law is Great Improvement Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 10 November 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Advantage

Seeing is Believing

Ronald Koeman last season called for a ‘grappling ban’. This was after his then club, Southampton, were involved in a holding incident. He said,’ If you pull someone back by his shirt in the penalty area and stop them getting …

Seeing is Believing Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 3 November 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Holding

Injured Players Need Not Always Leave FoP

Some football supporters have queried with me, why this season sometimes injured players are made to go off after treatment and sometimes they are not? The answer of course lies with this season’s rewrite of the Laws of the Game. …

Injured Players Need Not Always Leave FoP Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 27 October 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Injured player, Treatment

Offside Distraction by Another Word

Mostly this season I have written about the changes following the re-write of the Laws of the Game, but I would like to turn to one change to the offside Law that was made a couple of seasons ago and …

Offside Distraction by Another Word Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 13 October 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Attempt, Interfering, Offside

“Last Man” is not in the Book

  Do you ever get the urge to shout ‘rubbish’ at the radio or television when you hear something completely wrong?  I did a couple of Saturdays ago when listening to the post-match revue of the Reading/Huddersfield match on BBC …

“Last Man” is not in the Book Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 6 October 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with DOGSO, Last Man

Action Against Dissent – About Time Too

  If they didn’t know already, spectators at the Reading /Huddersfield game will now be aware that referees in the Premier and Football Leagues have been told to get tough with dissent from players. And about time too. For years …

Action Against Dissent – About Time Too Read more »

By Dick Sawdon Smith Posted on 29 September 2016 Posted in From the middle Tagged with Dissent

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