Stoke referee alert!

[Nick Bateman]

I've just found out the referee for tomorrow's game will be Chris Foy.

This is a bad appointment for Fulham -  Foy has a history of giving Stoke decisions, the infamous match where he gave them everything at home to Spurs a few years back, still resides in many neutrals memories.

Foy has a northern bias;  whilst Chelsea should never be complaining (for all the favours they receive from officials), Foy was the ref when Villa beat them, sending off 2 Chelsea players in that.

Also, Mark Hughes has just sent a third letter of complaint to referee's chief Mike Riley, which was publicly announced, and they usually appoint a 'friendly' ref to their next game (us) to appease the aggrieved party (Stoke).  He was angry Shawcross wasn't allowed to kick a Spurs player after he was on a yellow card and the known 'thug' will miss the game tomorrow.

But Riley seems to have decided to introduce the "these things even themselves out" theory, which always punishes teams like Fulham whom they "even it out" on!

I hope I'm wrong but knowing the man's history I have little expectation.  Foy will allow Stoke to play their BRUTAL worst - we have to be able to rise above that and somehow prevail.

[JBH]

It won't be Foy's fault if we are relegated so stop looking for excuses  :028:

[Denver Fulham]

Nick, every week you make a post that the ref sucks and will be biased against Fulham. It's a little tiring. Ref Bias is about 105,437th on the list of reasons Fulham are probably getting relegated.

[Nick Bateman]

Nick, every week you make a post that the ref sucks and will be biased against Fulham. It's a little tiring. Ref Bias is about 105,437th on the list of reasons Fulham are probably getting relegated.

I did say, "I hope I'm wrong".  I'm just stating some of the facts before the game, as I do not wish to appear wise afterwards.

Also, why did Fulham not put in a protest regarding the clear penalty not given in the last minute V Hull??  Other managers would have been LIVID!

[Denver Fulham]

Nick, every week you make a post that the ref sucks and will be biased against Fulham. It's a little tiring. Ref Bias is about 105,437th on the list of reasons Fulham are probably getting relegated.

I did say, "I hope I'm wrong".  I'm just stating some of the facts before the game, as I do not wish to appear wise afterwards.

Also, why did Fulham not put in a protest regarding the clear penalty not given in the last minute V Hull??  Other managers would have been LIVID!

Yeah, I don't know. Seemed a pretty clear penalty and Fulham players didn't even really protest. I think they were in shock.

[Sheepskin Junior]

Nick, every week you make a post that the ref sucks and will be biased against Fulham. It's a little tiring. Ref Bias is about 105,437th on the list of reasons Fulham are probably getting relegated.

I did say, "I hope I'm wrong".  I'm just stating some of the facts before the game, as I do not wish to appear wise afterwards.

Also, why did Fulham not put in a protest regarding the clear penalty not given in the last minute V Hull??  Other managers would have been LIVID!

Picking out the word 'facts' here. I understand everyone is entitled to their own opinions and all that, but there is not a single referee in the Premier League, or any other league for that matter, that shows bias towards any team. On the registration form fore every referee issued by the FA, it states "Do you have any affiliation with any clubs in the league(s) you will be officiating?". If the answer is yes, they will not be appointed to games involving, or vital to, those teams. Referees are not your old-fashioned con men who want to spite everyone. We don't stand around with hunched backs wringing our hands. Chris Foy is a damned good referee. If we lose tomorrow (And I, of course, hope to God we don't) it will not be down to the referee. No matter how much people say it, the referees do not cost teams games. Players cost teams games. The referee is not the one who is through on goal with only the 'keeper to beat and Row-Zs it.

As for the 'clear' penalty. It is easy to see why it wasn't given. Linesman couldn't see it - his view was obstructed by a Fulham player. Referee was around 15 yards away and it happened very quickly. The ball did not deviate from its original path so it was possible, from where the referee was and at full speed, that it didn't touch the guy's hand at all. We didn't win because we stopped playing football, not because of any refereeing decisions.

[Logicalman]

To be fair, I believe that over the last decade we have been in the Prem, just about every referee has given something against us, and so anyone can trawl up any dirt they want for any of our games.

Truth be told, all those refs that have been 'biased' against us have also given in our favor at times, unfortunately for them, they are a breed, just like coppers, where nobody remembers when they do something good, but when they do something bad, nobody forgets - or lets them forget it either!!

[Blanco]

How do you still have a fof account?

[Sgt Fulham]

Every ref is a bad referee for us, and most other teams. We haven't had that much luck with referees this season but then you need to have more than luck to stay in this league.

[Ron Sheepskin]

I did say, "I hope I'm wrong".  I'm just stating some of the facts before the game, as I do not wish to appear wise afterwards.

I suspect there is little danger of that happening.

[the nutflush]

Every week I see a thread about a referee being a bad appointment for Fulham.  Its so boring and bordering on pathetic.

[Logicalman]

Every week I see a thread about a referee being a bad appointment for Fulham.  Its so boring and bordering on pathetic.

Well, its another person viewpoint, however much one might believe it cannot be, so all things considered, eh?

[grandad]

I do not think the standard has improved over the last few years. They now have better communication with their assistants & the 4th official. They are supposed to be fitter but are still not able to keep up with play. Who remembers Roger Kirkpatrick? They are being conned every week by divers, cheats & players appearing to have been shot by an elephant gun after the merest feather touch.
Riley has a lot of work to do to bring them up to modern football requirements.

[the nutflush]

Every week I see a thread about a referee being a bad appointment for Fulham.  Its so boring and bordering on pathetic.

Well, its another person viewpoint, however much one might believe it cannot be, so all things considered, eh?

No its just weak.

[Logicalman]

I do not think the standard has improved over the last few years. They now have better communication with their assistants & the 4th official. They are supposed to be fitter but are still not able to keep up with play. Who remembers Roger Kirkpatrick? They are being conned every week by divers, cheats & players appearing to have been shot by an elephant gun after the merest feather touch.
Riley has a lot of work to do to bring them up to modern football requirements.

Not too certain how much more they can be trained Grandad. I'm often amazed at some of the things they do get to see, and get right, cos when I watch in real time, and sometimes even in reply, I miss it.

The one thing Riley perhaps needs to address is refereeing consistency in the way they apply the rules of the game. Its accepted that referees are human, and even know their parents, but such things as blocking off the ball, to my mind, isn't right, though some refs give a foul, the others totally ignore it. Foul throws are quite prevalent, again, some give it and some just let it go. I believe all this produces the circumstances whereby players not fully knowing what they can get away with and what they cannot on a week-by-week basis.