3/01/2008

Bringing the game in to disrepute


What a disgrace. Just a few minutes after Norwich city kicked the ball out of play so the Blackpool physio could treat a Blackpool player who looked to have a serious injury (it turned out he had hurt his arm), Blackpool repaid this act of generosity in the most appalling way. The picture shows norwich captain Mark Fotheringham being stretchered off with a serious head injury. Despite his injuries, Blackpool decided to play on, and taking advantage of the serious injury went up field and scored a goal. Of course, the was nothing to stop the ref blowing his whistle to stop play but that would require a ref who knows the rules of the game and we never get them here at Carrow Road.

2 comments:

Catchthebudgie said...

perhaps you should get a copy of the rule book.

They stopped the sporting behaviour part last season.

The Ref stops the game, not the players. Players can do so if they choose. It is not required.

Did he return to the pitch?

Nich Starling said...

Yes, I know the rules very well. A referee is expected to stop the game still in situations that involve head injuries. That is my point.

As for blackpool, a precedent had already been set. Norwich did the sporting thing, Blackpool didn't.

But today's ref was awful. A missed penalty in the first half, a failure to issue a red card in the second and the indicent involving the injury to Fotheringham harly leave the red covered in glory.

And no, Fotheringham did not return. The fact that the club doctor came running on to assist the physio said its own story. Luckily, it was apparently just (I stress just) a very serious cut, but the amount of blood involved was difficult to miss, even from the distance away we were sat at. Astonishingly, the ref did not notice it and he was five yeards away.

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