Howard Webb

[grumpy01]

The myth that Howard Webb is our best referee has finally been exposed.After his poor performance on Sunday he has been demoted to a Division 1 game this saturday.

[FredPuli43]

Which one? If it is of particular difficulty or significance, it would be a good game to appoint Howard Webb or some other top-rated referee to.

[factor-fiction]

It is not at all clear that this is a demotion. There are 19 premier league refs but only 10 games each weekend, so each week 9 officials are appointed to games in lower divisions. This gives them experience of the lower leagues (e.g. of a more physical aspect of football) and to give the leagues an opportunity to benefit from our top referees.
I am sure the Professional Game Match Officials Board will not say it's a demotion.

[grumpy01]

In answer to Fred ,it is Colchester v Shrewsbury and both do lie just above the relegation zone.However with three sides already relegated and Scunthorpe having two tough fixtures to escape from the bottom four I doubt if the league would normally have bothered.Also f.f. there is always a fourth official at all games and premier league referees who aren't in the middle do their share as fourth official.

[joeluke]

Man U have loaned him out this weekend then?

[FredPuli43]

Oh great! Wonder if he gives autographs? I go to Colchester games as a penance for watching Chelsea. It's good to support local charities; Cambridge United are over an hour closer, but there are limits.

[T&S]

i find it ironic that someone with the gravatar of Ferguson is criticising Howard Webb. You get 8 points a season from him.

[grumpy01]

Its Phil Dowd whose Man u's referee.Don't know how many more games he needs for a championship medal.

[chelle7272]

No one said webb was the only one....;-)

[FredPuli43]

If he's been demoted, so have his assistants been. The Weston Homes Community Stadium hosted not only Howard Webb but Darren Cann and Michael Mullarkey, the full set from the 2010 Fifa World Cup Final. Must say the match did not test their skills too much. The ball found the net only once, from a player standing two yards offside. Maybe the presence of the great man did have an effect; there was hardly a foul in the game, let alone any of the robust kind associated with Division 1.