The Robins Nest Forum

Benjamin Speedie referees his first Cheltenham game since, apparently, apologising to Darrell Clarke after disallowing George Lloyd's goal at Bolton in January. A really interesting appointment. I wonder if that absolute howler will be fresh in his mind?

Previous Town appointments include:

Reading 1 - 0 Cheltenham (August 2023)
Sheff Weds 3 - 0 Cheltenham (Oct 2022)
Cheltenham 3 - 1 Morecambe (Oct 2021)
CHAMPIONS 4 - 1 Harrogate (May 2021)

EFL want us minnows down. The proof of that has been the poor decisions we have been punished by the officials.

We have been appalling, no getting away from that, but officials have had a big impact in our negative results in 23/24.

100% Mal

It gets boring to blame the officials all the time but today was the same. No consistency.

I cant remember any of the past 3 seasons being this bad...every game. Not just a couple of descions.

c!#p linos too

It's undeniable that we appear to have officials against us at most home games (I've not seen enough away matches this season to comment). It's also undeniable that if the ref's against you, it has a massively negative affect on the team's performance. QED

Speedie might owe us one, but I'm not holding my breath!

Also remember in that Reading game Street getting literally rugby tackled when running through on goal - didn't even give a free kick.

I'm almost half tempted to go through all of the match day threads from this season and see how many times i've mentioned a s#!t decision going against us from a ref/big calls that have gone against us when it looked impossible to not give it. But as it won't make any difference, I won't

The number of times Lloyd was wrestled around on Saturday and got absolutely nothing, but then the ref gives a free kick against one of our players for merely touching one of theirs was bog standardly mind-boggling.

Not going to lie - he's given us one tonight.

He didn’t quite make amends, but got pretty close.

Si Robin wrote: ↑16 Apr 2024, 20:50 Not going to lie - he's given us one tonight.

He has. Lots of soft free kicks in our favour.

Thought the ref had a great game.

Si Robin wrote: ↑16 Apr 2024, 20:50 Not going to lie - he's given us one tonight.

Agreed. Some favourable calls.

I can almost hear the Burton fans...

"Worst referee ever"

"Gave us nothing all night"

"They obviously paid him...bent officials have cost us again"

"Knew as soon as I heard his great aunt was born in Glos Royal Infirmary that he was biased"

"Their big number 9 elbowed four of our players out the way - and it was given as a free-kick to them...smh..."

He hardly gave us decisions the like of which we have had to suffer. No offside goals, no dodgy penalties against or stonewallers not given. Not even any constant, repeated fouls/wrestling not given. Just a few helpful free kicks here and there. We are due well more than that.

Have to say, I think Nuttall and Taylor worked him well though, making every little thing known to him, something we haven't done with refs which other teams do constantly.

Shade wrote: ↑16 Apr 2024, 22:22 He hardly gave us decisions the like of which we have had to suffer. No offside goals, no dodgy penalties against or stonewallers not given. Not even any constant, repeated fouls/wrestling not given. Just a few helpful free kicks here and there. We are due well more than that.

Have to say, I think Nuttall and Taylor worked him well though, making every little thing known to him, something we haven't done with refs which other teams do constantly.

You're correct in saying that there were no big decisions for him to get wrong, but watching him in the second half give us a free kick every time our players were touched and unbelievably not booking Matty Taylor for what seemed a professional handball offence seemed strange to say the least.