Ups & Downs 2020/21

[Ark Royal]

Lincoln up against the most successful PO team there is in Blackpool. Most play-off finals (8), most play-off final wins (5) and they could make it six. As for the worst, Brentford have been involved in the POs ten times and been unsuccessful in NINE of them.

[Winston Biscuit]

Brentford on their way to the Prem. Really pleased for them.

[Franchise FC]

Lincoln currently getting a seeing to by ... the team in yellow and black

[windermereROYAL]

Much prefer a wet weekend in Blackpool to Lincoln tbf.

[Zip]

Dreadful refereeing has robbed Newport today. Clear pen to them not given in the first half and then a dreadful decision giving Morecambe a pen for a blatant dive. VAR cannot come quickly enough

[Winston Biscuit]

Highest finishing play off side in each division ended up winning the play offs

[URZZZZ]

Dreadful refereeing has robbed Newport today. Clear pen to them not given in the first half and then a dreadful decision giving Morecambe a pen for a blatant dive. VAR cannot come quickly enough

How about refs do their jobs properly or is that not viable any more?

[Franchise FC]

Dreadful refereeing has robbed Newport today. Clear pen to them not given in the first half and then a dreadful decision giving Morecambe a pen for a blatant dive. VAR cannot come quickly enough

How about refs do their jobs properly or is that not viable any more?

Bobby Madely, so no

[URZZZZ]

Dreadful refereeing has robbed Newport today. Clear pen to them not given in the first half and then a dreadful decision giving Morecambe a pen for a blatant dive. VAR cannot come quickly enough

How about refs do their jobs properly or is that not viable any more?

Bobby Madely, so no

Standard of refereeing is so poor nowadays

You can forgive mistakes occasionally but they’re far too frequent. Whilst I don’t agree with how players/staff approach the refs, it is incredibly frustrating losing out on such fine margins especially of games of such high magnitude. Couldn’t see Morecambe scoring any other way

[Zip]

How about refs do their jobs properly or is that not viable any more?

Bobby Madely, so no

Standard of refereeing is so poor nowadays

You can forgive mistakes occasionally but they’re far too frequent. Whilst I don’t agree with how players/staff approach the refs, it is incredibly frustrating losing out on such fine margins especially of games of such high magnitude. Couldn’t see Morecambe scoring any other way

Which is why I prefer VAR despite all its faults. The ineptitude of the referee has decided the outcome of two teams entire season today with two dreadful decisions. A keeper punches the player in the face is as clear cut as it gets. Yet no pen. As for the pen that was given...well it was a shocker. Newport have every right to feel let down.

[Winston Biscuit]

Morecambe's manager was already rumoured to be leaving this summer to join Bradford and apparently loads of their players are out of contract at the end of this season (now!) too

tempted to lump on Morecambe to finish bottom of L1 as soon as the odds are out

[AthleticoSpizz]

Highest finishing play off side in each division ended up winning the play offs

very happy with these results.
Finishes as deserved (which too oft doesn't happen).

Grats Shrimps....one day....you never know

[Dai Brainbocs]

I'm a Newport ST holder so obviously biased, but if we got promoted thanks to a dive like that - and we do have at least one player who does it - I'd be embarrassed.

Their keeper's two--fisted punch on our player was the equivalent of an outfielder launching himself to clear with both feet when the trajectory of the ball means he has no chance of touching it.

On a different tack, given his recent past it's outrageous Madley was given the division's most prestigious game so early in his rehab.

[paultheroyal]

How about refs do their jobs properly or is that not viable any more?

Bobby Madely, so no

Standard of refereeing is so poor nowadays

You can forgive mistakes occasionally but they’re far too frequent. Whilst I don’t agree with how players/staff approach the refs, it is incredibly frustrating losing out on such fine margins especially of games of such high magnitude. Couldn’t see Morecambe scoring any other way

Never a penalty, Madley got that totally wrong, but also, the football league got that totally wrong appointing him to such a fixture. Its great that he has been given a second chance, but he should be waiting his turn and there were 45 other referee's who could and should of been appointed to a top fixture.

With regards to making mistakes, its no more or less than previous. I dont buy that they are more rubbish either.

Players are feigning injury and tackles all the time now, far worse than it ever was. It is so hard for a referee. Hiding to nothing.

Also, fans seem to think big characters are great referee's ie Webb, Elleray etc - that is not the case.

[Winston Biscuit]

Players are feigning injury and tackles all the time now, far worse than it ever was. It is so hard for a referee. Hiding to nothing

agree. The diving has become so normalised its ridiculous now. People are always talking about how to improve refs, how to get more decisions correct etc but rarely do people talk about just making the players stop cheating. Its probably the biggest thing that could be done to improve the game right now, and one of the easiest.

next time I see a player roll around holding their shin pad I am going to put my foot through the telly

I also get annoyed at how commentators & pundits go along with it. We see a player go down dramatically, roll around for a while holding their shin, play stopped for 60 seconds, commentators 'ooh you can see someone just slight stepped on his toe there'. WTF?!

I also hate the new fangled thing of players slapping the ground which they think indicates they really are hurt.

and finally, Azpilicueta was an absolute disgrace for his antics towards the end of the game on Saturday.

[paultheroyal]

Players are feigning injury and tackles all the time now, far worse than it ever was. It is so hard for a referee. Hiding to nothing

agree. The diving has become so normalised its ridiculous now. People are always talking about how to improve refs, how to get more decisions correct etc but rarely do people talk about just making the players stop cheating. Its probably the biggest thing that could be done to improve the game right now, and one of the easiest.

next time I see a player roll around holding their shin pad I am going to put my foot through the telly

I also get annoyed at how commentators & pundits go along with it. We see a player go down dramatically, roll around for a while holding their shin, play stopped for 60 seconds, commentators 'ooh you can see someone just slight stepped on his toe there'. WTF?!

I also hate the new fangled thing of players slapping the ground which they think indicates they really are hurt.

and finally, Azpilicueta was an absolute disgrace for his antics towards the end of the game on Saturday.

Absolutely this.

The amount of moments across numerous games this weekend where players are down "dying" - play continues and then they form the next attack, nothing said. Utter disgrace.

Fernandes, Lacezette, that squealing, OMG - an utter disgrace.

When i was refereeing this was not in the game, at all.

People need to think about that.

[Winston Biscuit]

I think the officials need to go on some kind of body movement coaching. If I get a flailing army go near my head, my legs don't give way, its just not how things work. Yet players do that all the time as part of their diving and refs fall for it.

[NathStPaul]

Players are feigning injury and tackles all the time now, far worse than it ever was. It is so hard for a referee. Hiding to nothing

agree. The diving has become so normalised its ridiculous now. People are always talking about how to improve refs, how to get more decisions correct etc but rarely do people talk about just making the players stop cheating. Its probably the biggest thing that could be done to improve the game right now, and one of the easiest.

next time I see a player roll around holding their shin pad I am going to put my foot through the telly

I also get annoyed at how commentators & pundits go along with it. We see a player go down dramatically, roll around for a while holding their shin, play stopped for 60 seconds, commentators 'ooh you can see someone just slight stepped on his toe there'. WTF?!

I also hate the new fangled thing of players slapping the ground which they think indicates they really are hurt.

and finally, Azpilicueta was an absolute disgrace for his antics towards the end of the game on Saturday.

Absolutely this.

The amount of moments across numerous games this weekend where players are down "dying" - play continues and then they form the next attack, nothing said. Utter disgrace.

Fernandes, Lacezette, that squealing, OMG - an utter disgrace.

When i was refereeing this was not in the game, at all.

People need to think about that.

I am still lucky/unlucky at my age to play grassroots football and the feigning of injury and diving is very much rife at that level, sadly it is 99% much younger players who do it. On Saturday we played against a team that had such a player in it combined with a very old referee who bought it hook, line and sinker. The most embarrassing incident was when the player in question went down for about the 5th time squeeling but soon realised he could get up and get the ball back under control, he actually ran along whilst screaming. The issue then is it winds up all the opposition players and a melee then ensued.

The good thing to come from the situation is that eventually the opposition got sick of player diving around and promptly substituted him. We need to see that happening at the top level, managers not accepting cheating and subsequent fines and public shaming after the game.

[BR0B0T]

Football is a working-class game...the working class operate from a lower moral base

You are encouraged to cheat from day one...claim the thrown-in/offside etc

[Zip]

I'm a Newport ST holder so obviously biased, but if we got promoted thanks to a dive like that - and we do have at least one player who does it - I'd be embarrassed.

Their keeper's two--fisted punch on our player was the equivalent of an outfielder launching himself to clear with both feet when the trajectory of the ball means he has no chance of touching it.

On a different tack, given his recent past it's outrageous Madley was given the division's most prestigious game so early in his rehab.

Madley should not have reffed that game and he has made two huge mistakes which have played a big part in determining the outcome. I felt very sorry for Mike Flynn and Newport. They deserved a lot better.