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Should Referee Keith Stroud Be Struck Off After Appalling Decision In Cardiff v Sheffield Wednesday Game?

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Following a boring two weeks since watching any football league action, I tuned in to see Cardiff City play Sheff. Wed on Friday evening.

Being a Fulham fan, I wasn’t particularly bothered which team won, with a point each probably the best result for our club.

Sheffield Wednesday had far the best of the game in the first half and deserved to go in at half time ahead. Within ten minutes of the second half however, the experience of Neil Warnock showed with Cardiff coming more into the game and started to create a few openings. As the clock was running down, the home side looked the most likely to score next. This they did but should it have counted?

With just three minutes left of the 90, Cardiff were awarded a free kick by referee Keith Stroud, which looked like it should have gone the other way. Up stepped substitute Tomlin to take it. While he was preparing for the kick, Cardiff centre back Aiden Flint, all 6ft 5″ of him stood yards offside in direct line of the Wednesday goalkeeper Dawson, while doing star jumps. Tomlin hit a sweet bending shot into the keepers far right corner of the net, which sent the home fans and players ecstatic.

Wednesday keeper rushed towards the linesman (who had a perfectly clear vision of the scenario) to demonstrate. The linesman was not interested in his objections and you could see him put his thumbs up to the referee to allow the goal to stand.

I have never witnessed such an appalling joint decision by a referee and his linesman to such a clear offside decision.

Surely this referee and linesman should be at least suspended for a few weeks, and the Football League should award the points to Sheffield Wednesday, as they were 1-0 ahead with no further goals scored.

Wednesday manager Gary Monk should be praised for his calm nature at the end of the game, by accepting the decision. I wonder whether he will think the same however, should his side miss out on promotion or a play-off position by the odd point or two come the season end?

What do you think?

Should the ref and linesman be suspended, or should the Football League and F.A. look at the ridiculous offside rules, that allow players to stand in an offside position as long as they do not touch the ball or interfere with play?

I remember the legendary Brian Clough once saying,

“If a player is not interfering with play he should not be on the pitch”.

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