Are we getting an unfair reputation?

[Sunnysideup]

As he was sentenced to over 4 years in prison, his conviction will never be spent, he will always have to declare it and, therefore, will always be labelled as a murderer.

Apart from the fact he wasnt convicted of murder, it was "causing death by dangerous driving".
To be pedantic, he's certainly a killer (and obviously a c**t) but not a murderer (though he bloody well should be classed as one IMO)...

[Scott Brehaut]

This is true SSU, however most people nowadays refer to any type of killing as murder so I thought it easier to refer to it as that.
You are, however correct that he isn't a convicted murderer.

[tommyg]

I don't think there can be any arguments against the straight red cards dished out to Bowman and Downes. I didn't see the first challenges which led to Ajala and Richards being booked but both made silly tackles when already on a yellow card and gave the referee the option to send them off. The standard of officiating at this level is poor but we're not being harshly treated. We only have ourselves to blame and when this leads to a fine for the club, Hargreaves has no right to complain if/when he is refused extra money to increase the budget.

I don't think we have dirty players (certainly not compared to former Gulls like Gary Brabin) but we have young players making stupid decisions. We're drawing unnecessary attention to ourselves and it's already costing us points. As a result of this, you can guarantee Saturday's referee will have looked at our last two games and seen we've had three players and our manager sent off - meaning he'll play even closer attention to every tackle we make. Hargreaves needs to stamp this out quickly but has made his task more difficult by setting a poor example last night.

[Dave_Pougher]

Fecking heck, just watched the highlights it was worse than being there.

Take a look at Norwood (the second goal scorer) early in the second half jump into one of our players (not sure who) backwards and fall over for the free kick. OK some might say that's part of the game nowadays, not me I hasten to add, but it was right in front of the ref! Blatant and obvious, why he could not see that is beyond me far more of a booking offence than Richards challenge that brought his second yellow. Annoying part is they didn't have do any of that they were far better than us on the night.

As I type this Galatasaray have just won a penalty against the Gunners resulting in Chesney being sent off (rightly so IMO) but it occurred to me our attack could have done the "falling over the keeper" trick twice last night when they were the last man, maybe it's time to start doing just that CH? Then maybe just maybe we won't be the supposed serial killers of the league and you won't get sent to the stands.

[friendlygas]

Don't feel sorry for yourselves and blame the referee when you lose as I am sure you would have had decisions in your favour when you were winning all those games. We have had the same as you and decisions that we have looked on as being unfair. Three players sent off so far and a ridiculous penalty at Braintree and it looks like a conspiracy against us as an ex League team. The fact is its just the referees are not very good and it will even out over the season. i am sure that some of the referees do favour their own ie regular Conference teams but we just have to get on with it.
I am sure both of us can be satisfied with the starts we have made and look forward to good seasons without making an excuse of the referees.

[tomogull]

Don't feel sorry for yourselves and blame the referee when you lose as I am sure you would have had decisions in your favour when you were winning all those games. We have had the same as you and decisions that we have looked on as being unfair. Three players sent off so far and a ridiculous penalty at Braintree and it looks like a conspiracy against us as an ex League team. The fact is its just the referees are not very good and it will even out over the season. i am sure that some of the referees do favour their own ie regular Conference teams but we just have to get on with it.
I am sure both of us can be satisfied with the starts we have made and look forward to good seasons without making an excuse of the referees.

Yes - sensible post friendlygas. Rovers seem to have picked up after a slow start and you're breathing down our necks so no need to change your manager just yet !!! Re the refs - when we were last in the Conference, I was pleasantly surprised at the standard of the refs. I know I'm even older now and no doubt even grumpier, but this time the standard of refereeing has been poor in my opinion - not all refs I hasten to add. The refs for our matches against Aldershot and Dover and one other match (Nuneaton I think) let the games flow and weren't whistle happy. So I'm not sure if refereeing standards have fallen or if it's a case of a poor crop of refs in the Conference this season. It would be interesting to know what ratings some of these refs get after each match.

[oldpedant]

Updated discipline table

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/fairplay

Should be interesting on Saturday, us top and Wrexham bottom, with them having had no yellows or reds!

[brucie]

We all know the referees are not very good but against FG the ref was far worse for us than he was for them.
I also noticed the incident in the highlights when their player fell over and got a free kick. Any fool could see that it wasn't a foul, apart from the referee.
In general referees will show more leniency in the case of a second yellow so as to not send players off. In the case of the Richards foul there didn't seem anything in it at all - their player didn't make anything of it at all so really the referee had no cause to issue a red and wasn't under any pressure to do so.
The fact that he sent him off just showed on the night that we were not going to get anything and for whatever reason he had an "agenda" against us.

[ferrarilover]

Criminal isn't my thing, but my memory is niggling at me. Four years, or 2.5. The answer might be in the Exception Order 1975, but I don't know for sure.

FG, we're not making excuses, we're bemoaning dreadful refereeing. We lost to Telford because we stood and watched as they headed in from half a yard. None of us will say any different. What we're pissed off with is having a man sent off for doing no worse than anyone else (from either side) which attracted not so much as a taking to.
You'll note that it's not dismissals in general with which we are unhappy, see the Downes red for proof.

We will have had 50/50s go for us, that's life. What we haven't had is a man sent off against us and a very, very clearly offside goal awarded in our favour, which turned a fair draw into a stolen win.

There were two nasty challenges in the match V FGR, both were committed by Hughes and neither received the punishment it deserved and, when punishment did come, it was considerably less severe than that which was meted out to Torquay players who had done less to deserve it, or equal to deserve it and received just punishment.

At the moment, we ARE getting unequal treatment from officials. I don't suggest that we're unique and I couldn't possibly say whether it's through incompetence, unfairness, or some mixture of both. What I can say is that it is happening.

I'm looking forward to the Wrexham game, because, like Woking, I think they'll turn up minded to engage in a football match, rather than 90 minutes of amatuer dramatics.

Matt.

[kevgull]

Updated discipline table

http://www.thefa.com/football-rules-governance/fairplay

Should be interesting on Saturday, us top and Wrexham bottom, with them having had no yellows or reds!

We were sent down by Hargreaves lack of experience last season and most probably, be kept in the Conference this season, due to the lack of discipline he his is installing.

Not good enough IMO

[Richinns]

We were sent down by Hargreaves lack of experience last season and most probably, be kept in the Conference this season, due to the lack of discipline he his is installing.

Not good enough IMO

Is this a joke? Is it April’s fools? Seriously - you need help! Is it voices in your head feeding you this crap? There is help out there and I suggest you seek it immediately.

F*ck me - if you cannot see that CH is the best thing going for us at the moment and in a tide of uncertainty he is the biggest positive we have.

The football we are playing is 100 times better to watch this season, the young players he has brought in on a shoestring budget are 100 times better than the journeymen here last season and the future value for these players is 100 times more beneficial for the club than the likes of Karl Hawley.

I am becoming more disillusioned by the day by idiots like you who post on here, I love this site but some of the morons it attracts are unbearable.

[Scott Brehaut]

Is this a joke? Is it April’s fools? Seriously - you need help! Is it voices in your head feeding you this crap? There is help out there and I suggest you seek it immediately.

F*ck me - if you cannot see that CH is the best thing going for us at the moment and in a tide of uncertainty he is the biggest positive we have.

The football we are playing is 100 times better to watch this season, the young players he has brought in on a shoestring budget are 100 times better than the journeymen here last season and the future value for these players is 100 times more beneficial for the club than the likes of Karl Hawley.

I am becoming more disillusioned by the day by idiots like you who post on here, I love this site but some of the morons it attracts are unbearable.

nay, GREAT posting.

[tomogull]

Keep your 'air on Richinns. Everyone who posts on here are entitled to their opinions. Even idiots.

[stefano]

Keep your 'air on Richinns. Everyone who posts on here are entitled to their opinions. Even idiots.

The irony is that the person who would seem in need of help is the one suggesting others seek it. Or something like that anyway. Don't know what he'd make of dear 'ol Trojan's posts. Drives me to drink does Trojan at times!

Anyway Tomo with Colin Bettany as your favourite player you are certainly on the right thread. Now there was a player who fully deserved his reputation!

I can see us turning Wrexham over 4-0 on Saturday with a return to a flowing and entertaining home display, all the doom and gloom of 2 successive defeats will be forgotten, and those undisciplined chaps who took early baths will be struggling to get back into the team.

Top of the table by the end of November and storming through in the FA Cup. Can't wait!

[Scott Brehaut]

The irony is that the person who would seem in need of help is the one suggesting others seek it. Or something like that anyway. Don't know what he'd make of dear 'ol Trojan's posts. Drives me to drink does Trojan at times!

Anyway Tomo with Colin Bettany as your favourite player you are certainly on the right thread. Now there was a player who fully deserved his reputation!

I can see us turning Wrexham over 4-0 on Saturday with a return to a flowing and entertaining home display, all the doom and gloom of 2 successive defeats will be forgotten, and those undisciplined chaps who took early baths will be struggling to get back into the team.

Top of the table by the end of November and storming through in the FA Cup. Can't wait!

Stefano, me old mate, I do love you. You make me laugh.

How's your old pal, Juan Knill, getting on?