We need to know if Stuart Attwell is a Luton fan – but Forest went too far with statement
When the Premier League season kicks off, the PGMOL maintains a record of which team each referee is a fan of. The referees make it known which team they support and this information is documented on a list held by the PGMOL.
It's been reported that Stuart Attwell is a supporter of Luton, according to Nottingham Forest's claims. This accusation came after their loss to Everton where three penalty appeals were denied. If this is true, it brings into question how the PGMOL is being managed.
It is not appropriate for officials to oversee matches involving teams they have a personal bias towards. This also applies to matches where the outcome could significantly impact their team's chances of success.
It is common knowledge that Mike Dean's team of choice is Tranmere. This is obvious and therefore he would not have officiated any of their matches. Similarly, if Attwell is a supporter of Luton, it would not be appropriate for him to be responsible for their games or act as the VAR.
It also applies on the opposite side – it would be inappropriate for any official who has a bias towards Arsenal, Manchester City or Liverpool to have control over their matches.
Having clear information on Attwell's support would be advantageous because if it was discovered that he backs Luton, it could potentially cause problems for the Premier League, the FA, and the struggling teams at the bottom of the league. This situation could lead to complications that may need to be addressed.
It's not often that a team makes such a statement, and I can see why people might be surprised that Forest did. It's not up to the clubs to say who can referee their matches. Jamie Carragher commented that Nottingham Forest sounded like a regular fan making wild claims at the pub, and that's partly true - it was a pretty unusual thing for them to say.
I do not aim to doubt Attwell's honesty. However, I do intend to doubt his ability in this match as well as Anthony Taylor's ability as the referee at Goodison Park.
I am completely convinced that Nottingham Forest's argument that they deserved to be given three penalty kicks during this match is valid.
There were three situations in a single game where penalties could have been appropriately granted, giving rise to doubts about the proficiency of the match officials.
In the game, there was a situation when the player charged from the back and ended up touching his opponent's legs, making him fall to the ground. This act was reckless and would be considered a foul anywhere on the field. However, since it happened inside the penalty area, it should have resulted in a penalty kick being given.
I have previously mentioned that determining handball violations can often be open to interpretation. If a player utilizes their arm for stability and it happens to move towards the ball, leading to contact with it, then the appropriate action would be to award a penalty kick.
Once again, the third occurrence was a blatant penalty. I cannot fathom why our referees and VAR are making such grave errors.
Effective leadership is essential for success both at the highest level of the sport and in the training of our referees and VAR officials. Unfortunately, the appointment of Howard Webb to oversee these areas has not led to the desired progress.
However, it is possible to communicate your worries and frustration in a different manner, and upon further examination, Nottingham Forest may realize that they could have handled the situation more effectively.
