Referee Neil Swarbrick apologises for sending off wrong West Brom player Offical left embarrassed after dismissing Gareth McAuley instead oif showing red card to Craig Dawson please log in to view this image Ref justice: West Bromwich Albion's Gareth McAuley is mistakenly shown the red card by referee Neil Swarbrick Photo: PA Referee Neil Swarbrick has apologised after sending off the wrong West Bromwich Albion player at Manchester City. The incident centred on a foul on City striker Wilfried Bony in the second minute at the Etihad Stadium. Bony was clearly fouled by Craig Dawson just outside the penalty area, only for the Ivory Coast international to try and pick himself up to continue his run. McAuley then also made a challenge on Bony in the area, but given Swarbrick chose to award a free-kick to City, and not a penalty, he was clearly punishing the first challenge. please log in to view this image Controversy: This challenge from Gareth McAuley on Wilfried Bony was deemed worthy of a red card - but the real foul had been committed seconds earlier please log in to view this image Dejected: McAuley troops off after being wrongly sent off To the amazement of the West Brom players and their manager Tony Pulis, however, Swarbrick chose to show the red card to McAuley. After the game, Swarbrick apologised for the errir via statement through the Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. The statement read: "In the second minute of Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion, referee Neil Swarbrick made a decision to send off Gareth McAuley for a 'denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity' offence. "The referee has confirmed the offence was caused by a different player, which should be addressed now as a case of mistaken identity. The referee has apologised for his error." It is the second case of the wrong player being shown a red card in the Premier League in recent weeks: Sunderland's Wes Brown was dismissed at Manchester United, despite the foul being committed by John O'Shea. West Brom boss Tony Pulis called for the greater use of technology after the incident. Pulis said: "Refereeing is not easy, especially at the level we are at now and how quick the game is. "This product is one of the greatest products this country now sells all over the world, but it is no good moaning about referees. What we have to do is find a way to help referees out. "I would definitely call now for managers to have two calls each and every game, where there are 30 seconds and they can have a video link-up with people upstairs who can watch it on video. "It will eradicate the major decisions referees are getting wrong that actually affect games of football. We have to work hard to do that in what is the greatest league in the world. The sooner that comes in the better." Unbelievable
So it IS possible to send a west brom player off for a professional foul? I thought they were immune!! At least swarbrick admitted his balls up. Unlike that chicken **** ref in our game at United who says he'd got it right!
The tricky bit for the refs is that there are 10 players wearing the same T shirt when they run up waving the red card Utter incompetence. Action required
Happened in the championship as well yesterday Bri, the ref sent the wrong player off and in the end he changed his mind and sent the right player off. Not difficult is it? Refs listening to players instead of letting their power go to their heads.
Not so easy when the ref is surrounded by a pack of gibbering idiots. Perhaps rugby have it right where only the captains are allowed to approach the ref? Referees assistants who assist might be a help. A strange anomaly is that if a player has to go off, it`s better for the team that it be the wrong one - no suspension.
That's supposed to be how it is in football, the captain and the accused. I maintain we just need harder refs, they should be allowed to unload a world of pain on players stepping out of line. The little pussies would soon stop mobbing them then.
Can you imagine amyone chasing Collina around the pitch? Kevin Nolan or John Terry trying to referee a game!
Nowt wrong with making mistakes fella, we all do. But Swarbrick, East and Marriner all listened to true culprit confess it was them and all three were devoid of reason. Richard Clark may have ****ed up but when he realised he'd made a mistake, he got to the bottom of it. It that bit of humility our refs lack and desperately need. If I was head of the referee's association i'd give Richard Clark a few premierships games as a reward of exceptional refereeing.
He should be listening to the captains and the 'offending' players at least. East complete ignored JoS, our club captain, who was confessing.
