Graham Poll answers your grassroots refereeing queries

Graham Poll is back to answer your queries over refereeing decisions in your grassroots matches courtesy of Club Website.

If you've seen a decision that left you scratching your head or arguing the toss with your team mates, our refereeing guru could clear up the situation for you right here in The Club House. What better way to settle a debate than asking the UK's top referee of the last decade!

To submit a question to Graham, email grahampoll@clubwebsite.co.uk and you'll be entered into a draw for a Club Website football. The best questions will be answered in this column every month and Graham's 'Question of the Month' will win a personal signed copy of his bestselling book 'Seeing Red'.

Thanks to all of you who sent in a question and congratulations to Gary Halliday of KC Cougars FC who wins the football this month. And now for six of the best refereeing queries sent in by Club Website readers and, of course, Graham Poll's definitive answers to them.

Graham's Question of the Month

My understanding is that if a spectator runs onto the pitch and a player kicks that spectator then that player should be dismissed for violent conduct. Is that correct?

Should the referee take the same course of action if a dog runs onto the pitch and a player kicks it? I am glad to say that I haven't seen this happen in 40 years of watching football but I have seen quite a few dogs run onto pitches!

Graham’s verdict: The Law which covers this is that violent conduct is punishable by a red card. The recipient of the violence is not stipulated therefore in theory you are correct.

Congratulations to Julian Humphrys, a parent at Farncombe Trojans under 13s in the Surrey Youth League, who wins a signed copy of 'Seeing Red'.

This month's other top questions

During a game recently, I awarded a direct free kick near the half way line for a bad challenge. I cautioned the offending player, but as my back was turned another player directed abuse to me worthy of a red card.

When I turned around to deal with the culprit, I saw three players standing together and I could not tell who the offender was. All three obviously denied it and I did not want to send off an innocent player, so I went over to their manager and told him to speak to his players as I would not tolerate this. He got away with it and we played on.

A referee friend told me next time to send off the player I thought was guilty and let the club deal with a claim of mistaken identity if wrong. Is this the action you would take? Your advice is appreciated.

Graham’s verdict: My view is that you did exactly the right thing. It cannot be right to randomly pick on one player and potentially dismiss an innocent player. Try to keep players in view in future.

Thanks to referee Neil Neophytou for submitting this question.

An attacker is about to take a corner kick when his team mate comes over and shouts "I'll have it". The attacker then rolls the ball out of the corner 'D' to his team mate while suggesting that the kick hasn't been taken. However, his team mate then carries the ball into the 18 yard box and scores.

Is this 'ungentlemanly conduct' and should it be penalised or is it acceptable if the (assistant) referee is told before hand that it will be a short pass?

Graham’s verdict: Enter Rooney and Giggs! There is no necessity in Law for the match officials to be informed of such a tactic (or ruse) although it might help the team get away with it. Ungentlemanly conduct was replaced by unsporting behaviour a few years ago and IF the referee considers this act unsporting then he should not only stop play but caution the offending player and award an indirect free kick from the place the ball was when he stopped play. Alternatively he could say that no signal had been given for the kick to be taken and have it taken again.

Thanks to Susan Albrighton of Tipton Town Ladies FC for submitting this question.

It's the last minute of a cup replay and the scores are level. The goalkeeper gets badly injured and remains on the field until the final whistle, but is in no fit state to face the penalty shoot out. Can he be replaced by a player who finished the game on the pitch?

Graham’s verdict: Yes he can – but only by a player who has finished the game. Of course, then as he is unfit to take part in the shoot-out the opposition must also elect a player who will not take part in the kicks as teams must be equalised numerically before the kicks commence.

Thanks to Neil Clarke of Woodhouse Juniors for sending in this question.

During a recent game a player rounded the keeper and shot towards the empty goal. The ball seemed to be going just wide of the post but a young child who was watching the game with his father and standing by the post deflected the ball into the empty goal.

The referee did not blow his whistle until after the ball had gone into the net. My understanding is that the goal should have stood but the referee disallowed the goal. What was the correct decision?

Graham’s verdict: The correct decision should have been a drop ball where the ball struck the outside interference, in this case the child. It does not matter whether the ball was going into the net or not!

Thanks to Tony Pye of Real Reform FC in the Stockport & District Sunday Football League for this question.

Recently my son was playing for his team against local rivals in a top of the table clash. A player from the attacking team ran down the right wing and took a shot at goal. As he shot, a player from the same team running down the left was in an off-side position but not interfering with play.

The shot hit the cross bar and bounced out to the other player who ran from an off-side position to hit the ball into the net. Should the goal have been disallowed for off-side?

Graham’s verdict: The goal should have been disallowed as the player gained an advantage from being in the offside position. Had the initial shot gone in then it should have counted though.

Thanks to Mick Galvin for submitting this question.

Ask Graham a question for your chance to win a prize!

Think you can come up with better than the questions you've read here? Fancy your chances of setting Graham a tougher test? Well here's your chance!

Email you questions to grahampoll@clubwebsite.co.uk with all the crucial details about the incident - though keep them concise please!  All entries will be put into a prize draw for a Club Website football, while Graham's 'Question of the Month' will win a personal signed copy of 'Seeing Red'.

'Seeing Red' is available in all good bookshops or online at www.harpercollins.co.uk.

Graham Poll images courtesy of the Daily Mail. Graham Poll's 'Official Line' column appears in the Daily Mail every Saturday. He also appears as a pundit on BBC Radio Five Live, Setanta Sports and the New Football Pools podcast.