Referee Michael Oliver replaces injured official at women's match

Referee Michael Oliver replaces injured official at women's match
By Tom Garry BBC Sport
"If there is a qualified assistant referee in the stadium, please can they make themselves known."
That was the request made at half-time in Thursday's Continental Cup game between Arsenal Ladies and Reading FC Women following an injury to one of the officials.
And just who should happen to be in the ground at Boreham Wood FC? None other than Premier League referee Michael Oliver.
The 30-year-old Fifa-listed official was in the stands watching the match, refereed by his wife, Lucy.

please log in to view this image

Michael Oliver swapped a Premier League venue for an impromptu shift at a Conference ground
He duly stepped in to run the line for the second half, prompting chants of "there's only one Michael Oliver" from some home fans.
And so, having taken charge of Arsenal and Liverpool's 0-0 Premier League draw at Emirates Stadium on Monday with an attendance of more than 60,000 people, Oliver found himself officiating in front of a crowd of 873.
"It was a strange one," Reading boss Kelly Chambers, whose side lost 2-1, told BBC Sport
Referee's route to the top
Northumberland's Michael Oliver has been a Premier League referee since 2010.
He became the Premier League's youngest referee when he took charge of Birmingham City v Blackburn Rovers in August, 2010.
"It was nice of him to step in and help us.
"We needed him, otherwise it could have been a different kettle of fish if we had just anyone taking over."
Oliver, who has been eligible to take charge of European internationals since 2012, is set to referee Saturday's Premier League match between Stoke City and West Brom.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34082210

 

Similar situations have happened in the past dribs, during the Arsenal v Liverpool league match in 1972 a linesman pulled a muscle and couldn't carry on, the game was in danger of being abondoned, but after an appeal over the stadium speaker system a replacement stepped down from the stands.
It was Jimmy(the chin)Hill the Match Of The Day pundit, turned out he was an FA qualified referee.

please log in to view this image

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/tv-pundit-jimmy-hill-runs-the-line

 

Am I the only one whos interested to see what his wife looks like?

Just in case you didn't read the story, his wife was ref for the match.

 

the question i have is:

Do they not have 4th officials at this level?

Obviously i know down the local sunday league yuo only get a ref if lucky but these are supposedly a reasonable level why no 4th official?

 

please log in to view this image

 

Only 5th official which happens to be Michael Oliver.

 

Yesteryear, a fourth official would have stepped in and taken over. However, nowadays the fourth official has a job to do (hold the board up for substitutions and injury time) so they'd actually need a fifth official.

 

Is his wife as **** as he is?

 

I thought it was the job of a 4th offical that if a ref or linesman went down they would take over.

thats why all 4th officials are actually prem refs and the linesmen are only able to ref lower league games themselves?

 

That's right. The 4th official is there as a sub for the ref or linesmen.

 

She'd get it

 

It is, but now the fourth official is required to be present for a game to continue so they need a fifth official as backup.

 

However, if the ref or lino coming off can't fulfil the fourth official position, the game would be abandoned.

 

Is that you, JT?

 

what? you'd go in two footed like?

 

Sums up women's football. Chanting for the ref... Ffs

 

No it wouldn't. Which Law of the game states that?