The Ref Stop

Cheltenham v Bradford Free Kick

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SelbyRef

New Member
What do we think of this: Free Kick

Cheltenham are in red & white, Bradford sky blue.

We don’t see the lead up but given he’s blown the whistle and players have loaded the area we can assume he wasn’t allowing a quick one without a whistle.

Ref has his back to the taker and I’m assuming thinks the taker is waiting for the whistle, but he’s in motion before it’s blown.

Effect of the whistle timing is to make most of Bradford & some of Cheltenham stop, but goal given. Technically the ball kicked after the whistle, though.

For me this should be a retake. I know why the ref is positioned as he is, as he wants to watch where the ball will be competed for, but in taking his eye off the taker it’s created this situation. Thoughts?
 
The Ref Stop
Clip starts very slightly earlier here
Vanishing spray has been used so this is clearly an 'on the whistle' FK.
Looks like ref delays his whistle while thinking about whether to intervene on the holding in front of him.
Whistling at the moment the free kick is being taken always risks causing confusion, but based on this the free kick has been properly taken so would not have been fair on Cheltenham to disallow the goal.
 
Did he blow the whistle for the free kick to be taken, or did he blow it so that the free kick will not be taken without his whistle?

There is a difference and that has caused the confusion. The goal is legal but there is an element of unfairness about it that the referee should take part resposnsibility for.
 
Its very tight, but I'm 99% sure the ball is kicked after the whistle in which case there's nothing wrong with it legally. I suspect the referee will get some advice around best practice and game management though.
 
RustyRef said:
It’s very tight, but I'm 99% sure the ball is kicked after the whistle in which case there's nothing wrong with it legally. I suspect the referee will get some advice around best practice and game management though.
Click to expand...
You’re correct, the whistle is a fraction before he kicks it. I suppose I’m coming at it from a ‘what would the game expect’ angle i.e. technically legal, but a horrid look in terms of the management of the free kick/game given his whistle has directly influenced the action/reaction of the majority of the players.
 
CaptainsPlease said:
Clip starts very slightly earlier here
Vanishing spray has been used so this is clearly an 'on the whistle' FK.
Looks like ref delays his whistle while thinking about whether to intervene on the holding in front of him.
Whistling at the moment the free kick is being taken always risks causing confusion, but based on this the free kick has been properly taken so would not have been fair on Cheltenham to disallow the goal.
Click to expand...

Technically correct as the ball was struck after the whistle, but the timing of the ref’s whistle has directly impacted the reaction of the majority of the players IMO.

Looking at it again think you’re right on why he delayed (which would be fair), but that delayed whistle has directly impacted what happened next - given he obviously wasn’t also then looking at the taker.

Not sure I agree it’s unfair on Cheltenham if he’d have ordered retake, but I do get the point given it’s technically legal. Personally I think if he was looking at the taker when it happened then he’d have told them to retake given he was in motion to kick before the whistle was blown.
 
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