Quite recently the Football league saw it’s first Female Referee take charge of a match. Amy Fearns was running the line in the Coventry versus Notts Forest game when referee Tony Bates went off injured. So another milestone has been reached. How long before we see a FEMALE reffing a Premiership match? So on the subject of referees let’s have a look at how they are doing compared to the last couple of seasons. From last season’s list we "lost" Mike Riley, Rob Styles, Steve Tanner and Keith Stroud. Only three replacements were named. Gavin Ward, Kevin Friend and Anthony Taylor.
2007/08. Yellow cards are worth 10pts. Red cards are worth 25pts.
Top of the pile is Mike Dean, 107 yellows and 9 reds.
Mike Riley, 105 and 2.
Howard Webb 101 and 1.
Steve Bennett 99 and 5.
Alan Wiley 98 and 1.
Seasons Total Cards 1216 yellows and 61 reds.
That looks pretty formidable in itself. However when we look at AVERAGES, based on cards per game and their points value per card a very different picture emerges.
Matches. Average Cards. Average points per game.
Mike Dean 28 4.14 46.3
Mark Clattenburg 26 3.96 44.2
Lee Mason 8 4.12 43.1
Phil Dowd 22 3.41 38.9
Rob Styles 25 3.40 38.8
Collective Averages 380 3.36 36.0
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Moving on to the next season, 2008/09, the top card waver is once again Mike Dean. He’s consistant, at least.
Mike Dean 122 yellows and 8 reds.
Howard Webb 114 and 6.
Phil Dowd 92 and 6.
Mike Riley 90 and 4.
M. Atkinson 86 and 6.
Seasons Total Cards 1198 yellows and 63 reds.
Messrs Dean, Webb and Riley once again take three of the top five places.
The AVERAGES however once again show a slighty different outcome.
Matches. Average Cards. Average points per game.
Steve Tanner 11 4.18 45.9
Mike Dean 31 4.19 45.8
Lee Mason 16 3.94 44.1
Mike Riley 23 4.08 43.5
Stuart Attwell 5 3.60 42.0
Collective Averages 380 3.31 35.7
Mike Dean loses his top place by 100th of a point.
This was Mike Riley’s last season. He’s sure to be missed. By someone, I’m sure.
Stuart Attwell may well have had more games but for his disasterous start. He can only get better. Can’t he?
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We now arrive at the current season. A few old names missing and a few added. However, no doubt there will still be cases of managers calling the refs a few names.
Breakdown is as follows.
M.Atkinson 86 yellows and 7 reds.
Mike Dean 80 and 3.
Howard Webb 75 and 3.
A. Marriner 70 and 7.
Steve Bennett 73 and 3.
Phil Dowd 69 and 4.
Alan Wiley 66 and 4.
Up-to-date Total cards. 887 yellows and 49 reds.
Now the AVERAGES. A slightly different angle.
Matches. Average Cards. Average points per game.
A.Marriner 18 4.27 48.6
Mike Dean 19 4.36 46.1
M.Atkinson 21 4.23 44.5
Howard Webb 19 4.10 43.4
Steve Bennett 19 4.00 42.4
Stuart Attwell 12 4.08 42.1
Kevin Friend 10 3.30 39.0
Lee Probert 15 3.60 39.0
Collective averages 264 3.54 38.2
I’ve extended this list a little to encompass two "new boys". Stuart Attwell now in his second season in the "big time" and a real newbie, Kevin Friend. The former seems to be avoiding any flak this season but K.F. has been given a hard ride by some managers. having noticed how the newbies seem to "cop for it" in their first season, I’m beginning to wonder if certain managers try to use this as a tactic to condition the guys for the future.
The one thing that stands out from these figures is very plain to see. Dont mess with MIKE DEAN.
