All eyes are on Jurgen Klopp and the Premier League this week, as Liverpool appear to be on the cusp of requesting their game with Spurs is replayed.
If you follow The Real EFL because you find the Premier League a bloated, self-involved, abhorrent mess, or if you live under a rock, you might not be aware of the situation. Liverpool’s Luis Diaz scored a perfectly valid goal against Spurs this weekend, a goal VAR checked and said was okay. However, a confused message made its way to the match referee, Simon Hooper. He disallowed the goal, and the game continued, with Spurs eventually winning 2-1.
There have been matches replayed before when an error has been made. Nwankwo Kanu, on his Arsenal debut no less, scored a goal from a throw-in that was intended to be returned to a Sheffield United player in the FA Cup in 1999, handing the Gunners a 2-1 win. Arsenal offered to replay that game, which they won 2-1.
However, replaying a league game is another matter. Would the game start at the point where the decision was made? If so, Liverpool would already be down to ten men. Could they pick different players? Would that be a sporting advantage? It’s a massive grey area and one that is best left to the so-called experts to solve.
However, if there is a decision to replay, it opens a can of worms. Should Ireland get a chance to replay their World Cup qualifier with France from 2009? What about the 1966 World Cup final? What about these five Football League matches that had horrible errors in them? Should they be replayed as well?
Bolton v Forest Green, 2023
Just last season, Bolton’s Ellis Kachunga lashed out at Forest Green’s Brandon Cooper, resulting in a red card, but not for him. Tom Neild was certain he’d got the right man when he sent off Dion Charles, who was not involved in the incident.
Now, this might not have mattered – Bolton were still victorious, and the card was overturned, but it was a clear error. Besides, Bolton could argue leaving Kachunga on the pitch gave a competitive advantage to Forest Green.
Perhaps not quite ripe for a replay, but if it’s one rule for one decision, surely it has to apply to all dodgy decisions.
Watford v Reading 2008
Ah, Stuart Attwell. He was the bright young thing on the officiating scene back in 2008, but he made an error that could easily have killed his career. A Reading corner pinged around the box for a bit, and up went a linesman’s flag. Offside? Foul?
Nope. It was for a goal. The ball hadn’t been near the goal, but a goal was given. Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd was sent off for protesting, and the goal stood.
Watford pulled it back and led 2-1, only for 25-year-old Attwell to give a late penalty to even things up again. Replay? There’s a strong case.
Bristol City v Crystal Palace 2009
Freddie Sears has had a typical career path, taking him from West Ham to Ipswich and, latterly, Colchester. As a young man, he also had a loan spell in the Championship with Crystal Palace, playing under Neil Warnock.
His stint there got off to a great start as he lashed home a goal from close range against Bristol City in only his second game. His vicious shot bounced back off the metal stanchion holding the net in place, he wheeled away, and the Robins’ players turned their backs. Goal?
Not according to referee Rob Shoebridge. He disallowed it, much to the ire of Warnock, especially as Palace lost the game 1-0.
Replay? The result didn’t affect the league table too much; Palace entered administration but finished up two points outside the drop zone.
Huddersfield v Lincoln 2005
Lincoln and Huddersfield were locked in a battle for a play-off place in 2004 when this howler was made. Pawel Abbott, standing fifty yards offside, picks up a ball and slots it into the net more out of habit. The linesman knows it’s offside, Abbott was standing in the position when the ball was played, and he flags. Bizarrely, referee George Cain awards the goal, condemning Lincoln to a 2-1 defeat.
Just a couple of months later, Lincoln finished seventh, meaning a trip to fourth-placed Huddersfield, where they lost in the play-off semi-final. Had the Abbott goal not stood, the Imps would instead have faced Mansfield, whom they’d beaten twice in the league.
Replay? Absolutely get the pitch booked.
Leeds v West Brom 1971
“And Leeds will go mad!” – Anyone of a certain vintage will revel in this cracker from 1970, but if you’re new to it, you’re welcome. West Brom were flagged offside in their game with Leeds, everyone stopped, but inexplicably the referee waved play on. The issue was the flag stayed up, which players took to assume the decision had been given – it hadn’t.
West Brom’s Jeff Astle scored, sparking violent scenes with fans entering the field of play. Okay, this was a top-flight game, but back when all four divisions were the Football League, so we think it counts. Leeds’ reaction was so violent they were banned from playing their first four matches of the following season at Elland Road.
Here’s the thing – Leeds lost the game 2-1, and they lost the title by a single point. Had they drawn 1-1, they would have lifted the title on goal average. Should this game have been replayed? Leeds were losing at the time, but even so, it definitely cost them the title.
