The meaning of the yellow card

MANY years ago, I wrote in my column that the problem with BBC’s Match of the Day was that when they had discussions on laws, there was only the football pundits to give their view and they were invariably wrong, thus misleading the viewers.

I suggested that they had someone on the programme who understood the Laws of the Game.

To my surprise, the next Tuesday, I received a call from the producer of the programme, who said they had discussed my suggestion at their Monday meeting, and it was agreed that they should contact Keith Hackett, then head of Premier League referees, to see if anything could be arranged.

Keith told me later that he never received such a call.

I remembered this when watching Sky Sports recently, who of course employ ex-Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, to give his view on contentious decisions.

They discussed an incident in the Liverpool v Manchester City match when City’s Rodrigo brought down Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo, having already received a yellow card.

maintained their amazing scoring form by putting six past Bagshot in an emphatic win.

Having scored nine at Bagshot away just a few days prior, the Boars ensured they took another comprehensive victory on Monday. With six different scorers, a scintillating attacking display saw Troy Baker, Brad Brown, Ashley Howes, Jatinder Liddar, Ross Mckernan and Ben Anderson find the net.

BERKS COUNTY soared to the top of the table with an emphatic win over Cove on Tuesday night.

The Swords were in fine scoring form and ensured they now lead the race for the title with five games left to play.

Football

Berks led 3-2 at the break and raced away with a clinical secondhalf display with four more goals to seal a 7-2 success.

Ellis Woods’ and Lee Simpson’s side have a two point advantage at the top with a game in hand over closest rivals London Samurai Rovers.

Thames Valley Premier League

YATELEY UNITED continued their perfect form by making it 17 wins from 17 games.

A double from Myles White ensured Yateley edged past BURGHFIELD with a 2-1 win.

WARGRAVE moved into sixth

Kestrels Continue Unbeaten Run To

By MARK ROZZIER sport@wokingham.today

WOODLEY UNITED completed its Easter programme going three games unbeaten by taking a deserved point against promotion play off chasing Westside.

The opening 10 minutes were even with little to trouble both defences and it was not until the 12th minute that the first save was made when Sam Dabinett denied the visitors’ Sergiu Bumbu.

Woodley scored first two minutes later when Dabinett took place with a comfortable away win against READING CITY U23s.

Stuart Moss bagged a hat-trick, while Fred Kirby added to the scoreline to help Wargrave win 4-1.

Charles Twelftree semi-final

FINCHAMPSTEAD booked their place in the cup final after they defeated SB Phoenix with a clean sheet victory.

Aqeel Butt, Dylan Chaffin and Jacob Rebbeck ensured Finch made it through to the last two with a 3-0 success.

Thames Valley Division Two READING YMCA RAPIDS

TAKE a free kick just inside the hosts’ half which Matthew Williamson outjumped the defence to head the ball to Sid Gbla to shoot past Seb Hunt in the Westside goal.

Hunt was then called upon to make a fine save tipping Mo Davies’ goal bound shot over the cross bar for a corner kick after half an hour before Dabinett made a comfortable save from a distance shot.

Four minutes before half-time, Joe Moriarty headed Dan Watkiss’ free kick over Hunt’s cross bar but with no further score United went into the half time break satisfied maintained their pursuit for the title with a home win over TWYFORD & RUSCOMBE

A brace from Michael Porter and a goal from Jordan Sawyer helped YMCA to their 13th win in 14 games in what has been an incredible campaign BURGHFIELD RESERVES stay in second place after they got the better of Maidenhead Town A. Strikes from Leon Hewitt and Harry Peters ensured the Fielders amassed three points on their travels.

Thames Valley Division Three Binfield U23s 8-1 Reading City Development, Finchampstead Development 0-1 AFC Winkfield Reserves

Well Earned Point

with a much improved performance from that of the previous Saturday at Bagshot.

Seven minutes into the second half United was reduced to ten men when Tahir Carmichael was dismissed following a challenge.

With the advantage of an extra player, Westside started to apply pressure on the home defence and were rewarded in the 63rd minute.

A move that started from Hunt resulted in a cross from the right being met by substitute Dariush Heravi who got between the home team’s centre backs to volley the ball pass Dabinett from close range. United rallied defending well and gained respite when Heravi was sinbinned after 76 minutes.

With both teams now reduced to ten men, United took the initiative with Gbla and Connor Suckling causing the Westside defenders problems with Hunt being called on to block a Gbla shot when the two were one on one with five minutes remaining.

Despite Westside returning to eleven players United saw out the remainder of the match for a welldeserved point.

The yellow card, said the presenter, is a final warning so he should have been sent off. Dermot Gallagher corrected him.

The yellow card, he said, is certainly not a final warning. He was right, it is not a final warning, but it is a warning, or to give it it’s correct name, a caution.

In fact, apart from being listed under essential referees’ equipment, red and yellow cards are not mentioned in the Laws of the Game.

Their use goes back to the 1966 World Cup, when the German referee sent off the Argentina captain Rattin in the quarter final against England.

Being a steward at Wembley for that match, I remember it well.

Rattin refused to leave, not understanding German or the English of Ken Aston who came on to try and get hm to leave.

On his way home, Ken Aston thought there must be a better way for it to be understood.

When stopping at traffic lights he had the idea to use yellow for a caution and red for sending off.

That’s what the cards are for, purely to show everyone what decision has been made.

That’s why it should be held high.

Today, referees at professional games tend to point at the player concerned whilst holding the card high.

What we were always taught was that for a caution you should take the players name, then caution them that any future fouls put them at risk of being sent off.

I always thought that this had more success than just raising a yellow card.