Fletch
Player Valuation: £5m
10 years ago at the merseyside derby, we scored an unlikely goal as the Reshite keeper booted the ball into Don Hutchisons back which rebounded into the net, Graham Poll blew the whistle before it crossed the line........
He now admits he was wrong.
Martin Atkinson refereed the game of the weekend - Everton 3 Manchester United 3 - with a great deal of common sense. He didn't rush to caution, giving players every opportunity to settle into the game.
However, his decision to blow the final whistle when he did, whether due to the pressure of the pulsating end to the game, fatigue or something else, was ill-judged.
David Moyes certainly thought so, which is why he marched on to the field to show his displeasure. Atkinson had allowed Man United to take a corner in stoppage time, Everton had cleared it and had broken away.
As Phil Jagielka prepared to shoot Atkinson decided to blow up – the ball was saved by Edwin Van der Sar. Of course as the referee is sole timekeeper in law he was not wrong and he is certainly not the first referee to do such a thing and others had more significant consequences.
The most notable was Clive Thomas who, in the World Cup of 1978 blew as Brazilian Zico's goal-bound header flew into the net, leaving the South Americans level with Sweden. While Brazil qualified, Thomas did not – evidence that FIFA did not support the Welshman's timing.
More recently, I fell foul of this basic error also at Goodison Park, during a Mersyside derby. With the game goalless, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld collected the ball in the final seconds.
I jogged back to the centre circle, checked my watch which showed that time had elapsed and blew my whistle as I thought Westerveld had booted the ball upfield.
Unfortunately, he had kicked it into Don Hutchinson and the ball was on its way into the Liverpool goal. I stood firm and the 'goal' did not count.
I was wrong back in April 2000 and have to apologise to any Everton fans that I meet even now – they never forget! I never repeated the act of blowing at an inappropriate time.
Similarly I think that Atkinson should learn from his experience and be more sensible when blowing the final whistle. Either he should have stopped play as soon as Everton cleared the corner or waited for their attack to end.
Flashback: Everton players surround Graham Poll 10 years ago
The timing of a game and the amount of time a referee allows for unnatural stoppages is not an exact science and so the referee really can have some latitude.
I would like to see a law change so that an independent timekeeper sounds a hooter to say that time had elapsed, rather like in rugby, and the game ends at the next natural stoppage in play.
However, until then, there is nothing in law to say that the referee has to wait for the ball to be in a neutral position before blowing for time – just the need for a little common sense.
He now admits he was wrong.
Martin Atkinson refereed the game of the weekend - Everton 3 Manchester United 3 - with a great deal of common sense. He didn't rush to caution, giving players every opportunity to settle into the game.
However, his decision to blow the final whistle when he did, whether due to the pressure of the pulsating end to the game, fatigue or something else, was ill-judged.
David Moyes certainly thought so, which is why he marched on to the field to show his displeasure. Atkinson had allowed Man United to take a corner in stoppage time, Everton had cleared it and had broken away.
The most notable was Clive Thomas who, in the World Cup of 1978 blew as Brazilian Zico's goal-bound header flew into the net, leaving the South Americans level with Sweden. While Brazil qualified, Thomas did not – evidence that FIFA did not support the Welshman's timing.
More recently, I fell foul of this basic error also at Goodison Park, during a Mersyside derby. With the game goalless, Liverpool goalkeeper Sander Westerveld collected the ball in the final seconds.
I jogged back to the centre circle, checked my watch which showed that time had elapsed and blew my whistle as I thought Westerveld had booted the ball upfield.
Unfortunately, he had kicked it into Don Hutchinson and the ball was on its way into the Liverpool goal. I stood firm and the 'goal' did not count.
I was wrong back in April 2000 and have to apologise to any Everton fans that I meet even now – they never forget! I never repeated the act of blowing at an inappropriate time.
Similarly I think that Atkinson should learn from his experience and be more sensible when blowing the final whistle. Either he should have stopped play as soon as Everton cleared the corner or waited for their attack to end.
Flashback: Everton players surround Graham Poll 10 years ago
The timing of a game and the amount of time a referee allows for unnatural stoppages is not an exact science and so the referee really can have some latitude.
I would like to see a law change so that an independent timekeeper sounds a hooter to say that time had elapsed, rather like in rugby, and the game ends at the next natural stoppage in play.
However, until then, there is nothing in law to say that the referee has to wait for the ball to be in a neutral position before blowing for time – just the need for a little common sense.
