Graham Laws
Encyclopedia
Graham Laws is an English
association football referee who operates in the Football League
, and has previously been a fourth official in the Premier League. He has twice been to the Millennium Stadium
, Cardiff
, as referee of a Football League playoff
Final and at a Football League Trophy
Final.
, before being appointed to the Football League
list of referees in 1996.
He has been fourth official for Eddie Wolstenholme
twice in big games, firstly for the FA Vase
Final at Villa Park
on 6 May 2001, and then in the Football League Second Division playoff Final in Cardiff on 27 May 2001.
He has been required, from time to time, to fulfil the role of fourth official in the Premier League, such as during the Newcastle
versus Wigan
match at St James' Park
on 19 August 2006, when Martin Atkinson
was the match referee.
Laws has also handled important matches involving the England national youth football team
, such as their fixture against Scotland youth
on 22 December 2004 at Victoria Park, Hartlepool
, which finished 1–0 to England, courtesy of a David Wheater
goal in the 27th minute.
On 28 April 2002, he was appointed to referee a Second Division playoff semi-final first leg match between Huddersfield
and Brentford
, which finished 0–0. This was followed on 2 May 2002 by a semi-final second leg tie between Millwall
and Birmingham
in the First Division playoffs. Birmingham won 1-0 to confirm their place in the Final, and subsequently the Premiership. Then, on 11 May 2002, he refereed the Second Division playoff Final at the Millennium Stadium
, Cardiff
, when Stoke City
beat Brentford 2–0 to gain promotion to the First Division.
, then the manager of Rotherham
, was highly critical of Laws after his side lost 3–2 at home to Portsmouth
in the old First Division
fixture on 5 October 2002. In answer to the referee's issue of nine yellow cards and one red card, he commented: "It would have been a game, a hell of a game".
"One man has spoiled the game", said Moore. The main incident occurred just before half-time, "when Chris Swailes
, running side by side with Svetoslav Todorov
, nudged his hip into the Portsmouth forward", and the Bulgaria
n international fell in the penalty area
. Laws awarded a penalty
to Portsmouth and sent Swailes off. Referring to the referee's interpretation of the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, Moore would only say: "If he [Todorov] could have scored from there, I'm a Dutchman
".
Another outspoken club boss, Stan Ternent
, levelled more criticism at Graham Laws after the 2–2 FA Cup third round draw on 4 January 2003 between Grimsby and Burnley
at Blundell Park
. Ternent, the Burnley manager at the time, felt that the award of a penalty to Grimsby for a foul on Stuart Campbell
, when his side were 2–0 up, marked a "turning point in the game". "I felt it was an extremely poor decision for the penalty. There wasn't an appeal," he said. "We were fine until he (the referee) gave that decision - it was ridiculous. I think he was the only person in Humberside
who could have seen it because there was no appeal anywhere." Ternent added: "I've seen the referee and he said that Mark McGregor
pulled his (Campbell's) shirt, but I don't know who was more surprised, us or them."
Three weeks later, the Guardian newspaper journalist Daniel Taylor described Laws as "a bewildering referee who irritated both sets of supporters" after the 1–1 (old) First Division draw on 25 January 2003 at Deepdale
between Preston North End
and Nottingham Forest
.
Southern Final first leg contested by Colchester
and Southend
at Layer Road
, the home side suffering a 3–2 defeat.
He was honoured with further end-of-season Playoff appointments in 2004. On 15 May 2004, he took charge of the Third Division playoff semi-final first leg at Sincil Bank
between Lincoln
and Huddersfield, which ended in a 2–1 away win. And he then went to the Withdean Stadium
on 20 May 2004 to handle the Second Division playoff semi-final second leg between Brighton
and Swindon
.
2005 fixture between Burnley and Leicester City
in the Football League Championship
after 19 minutes because of "torrential rain". Both managers agreed he had done the right thing. Burnley's Steve Cotterill
said: "It was a wise decision and the referee had my full support". His opposite number for Leicester, Craig Levein
, concurred: "It was a good decision for it had become a bit of a lottery. It was just a matter of time before someone got injured and that is clearly not an acceptable situation. The referee was right to give it a go but it became unplayable."
On 26 February 2005, managers from both sides in the Championship encounter between Preston North End and Burnley felt that Laws had got a major decision wrong in awarding the home side a penalty eight minutes from the end, from which the only goal was scored, when Burnley's Lee Roche
was adjudged to have pushed North End's USA
international Eddie Lewis in the penalty area.
"It's not a penalty for me. At the end of the game, I said to him (Laws) that I supported the decision when he cancelled the game against Leicester on New Year's Day, but I can't support that decision," said Burnley manager Steve Cotterill. "The player was off the pitch, the ball was on its way out of play and I think if that incident had happened at the other end, in front of our fans, it wouldn't have been given." His counterpart, Billy Davies
, commented: "If I was Steve, I would be saying it wasn't a penalty and it certainly looks soft. I said that to him at the time, but we were certainly appealing for it because Eddie went around their lad, but without seeing it again it looks pretty soft".
1–0 in the Football League Trophy Northern Final second leg on 8 March 2005, to progress to the national Final, which they won.
He then returned to Lincoln City's ground on 14 May 2005 to take control of their League Two playoff
semi-final first leg against Macclesfield
, and they won 1–0 in progressing to the Final, which they lost.
manager, Phil Brown, to the stands
during their 2–2 away draw in the Championship at Burnley's Turf Moor
on 27 August 2005. Burnley had had a player dismissed earlier, but Brown was banished "for continual encroachment on to the field of play", although he defended his actions by saying: "When the ball goes into the stand it's not going to come back fast when they're down to 10 men. It just wasn't fair. I complained to the referee and he sent me off because I walked on to the pitch."
At the end of that season, Laws handled the League One playoff semi-final first leg between Brentford and Swansea
on 14 May 2006. Swansea won 2–0, but lost in the Final to Barnsley
.
Australia
n international player Danny Tiatto
was involved in allegations of racial abuse when Leicester City played Stoke City
under Laws' control at the Walkers Stadium
in a Championship match on 31 October 2006. Leicester's Tiatto "denied racially abusing Senegal
ese midfield
er Salif Diao
" of Stoke, saying: "It's just one of those things, heat of the moment, something said on the pitch, nothing racist whatsoever. I'm not that kind of person. The player had no problem with me and shook my hand after the game" However, Diao's team-mate, Michael Duberry
, commented: "I'm not sure if the ref[eree] heard it himself but a lot of players did. And he (Tiatto) knows what he said. He should be disgusted with himself." Duberry added: "It wasn't a black or white remark, there was no mention of colour, but it's still racism." "[T]he FA revealed the match referee Graham Laws made no reference to the alleged incident in his match report", and, as Tiatto further pointed out: "No action has been taken so it's obvious from that there was no sort of racist comment made".
and Doncaster Rovers
at the Millennium Stadium on 1 April 2007, when Doncaster triumphed 3–2 through an extra time goal by Graeme Lee
.
He was then at Lincoln for a third time during the end-of-season playoffs, this time in a semi-final second leg encounter against Bristol Rovers in the League Two competition on 17 May 2007, which Rovers won 5–3.
manager Neil Warnock
is said to "have a record of disagreement" with Laws, and this was further tested after he dismissed Palace's Tom Soares
in the 88th minute of a Championship match away to Blackpool
on 20 October 2007, which ended 1–1. "I've watched the incident several times and I view it as a very unlucky red card. It was a yellow at the very worst. All my player did was walk over the Blackpool lad [(Andy Welsh
)] who was on the floor," complained Warnock. "It was not a deliberate act — a deliberate stamp — it was just one of those things that happen in the game of football. There were six Blackpool players around the area and none of them were screaming for a red card when the incident happened."
"Perhaps the referee wanted to do something to get noticed," he added. "He was not reacting to a linesman as the linesman was 20 yards away and hadn't said a thing."
and Coventry City
at Hillsborough
had to be abandoned after 28 minutes play, "due to a heavily waterlogged pitch". Heavy rain had fallen since mid-morning and by kick-off at 3pm puddles were already forming on the pitch – which had deteriorated since it was totally replaced after the ground had been flooded under several feet of water in the summer. Laws explained: "It wasn't a difficult decision to start the game. Both teams were out there warming up and I received no complaints from anyone. While it wasn't ideal conditions, I certainly didn't see any reason not to start the game." He added: "But after about 15 minutes I started to receive complaints from players on both sides, saying that they couldn't pass the ball and they deemed it was becoming dangerous. You could feel the surface moving under your feet and I wasn't happy. It was reaching the point where it could have got farcical."
Nevertheless, the home manager was supportive of the referee's decision. "No complaints at all," said Wednesday's Brian Laws
. "We are here to put on something that the supporters are proud of. All we would have got today is route one football and see who makes the least mistakes."
In another Sheffield Wednesday home match, this time against Derby County in an FA Cup
third round replay
on 22 January 2008, the match referee, Chris Foy
, picked up a groin injury just before full time. As the score was 1–1 at that point, extra time was required and Laws, as fourth official, had to take over from him for the added thirty minutes. A request was also put out over the public address
system for a qualified referee to assist Foy in fourth official duties during the deciding period. As it happened, no further goals were scored, and penalties
were needed to resolve the tie, Derby winning this 4–2.
manager John Ward was unhappy with Laws during a League One
match at home to Luton
on 11 March 2008, when the referee failed to stop play in order for the home side's Jeff Smith
to receive treatment for an ankle injury. "It's nasty. He's got a massive ankle in there and I thought it was a nasty challenge," Ward said afterwards. "The onus is on the referee. It's the referee's decision to stop the game."
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
association football referee who operates in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, and has previously been a fourth official in the Premier League. He has twice been to the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, as referee of a Football League playoff
Football League Play-Offs
The Football League play-offs are an annual series of football matches to determine some of the promotion places within the Football League. Essentially, each division of the league offers a certain number of automatic promotion places to the top two or three clubs. A further promotion place is...
Final and at a Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
Final.
Career
Graham Laws progressed through the lower leagues to referee in the Northern Premier LeagueNorthern Premier League
The Northern Premier League, is one of the regional English football leagues which sits directly below the Football Conference featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs. Geographically, the league covers all of Northern England, and the northern areas of the Midlands. Originally just one...
, before being appointed to the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
list of referees in 1996.
He has been fourth official for Eddie Wolstenholme
Eddie Wolstenholme
Edward K. Wolstenholme is an English former football referee who officiated in the Football League and the Premier League. He now lives in Blackburn, Lancashire, and may be remembered as the referee in charge of a football match in 2002 described as the "Battle of Bramall Lane"...
twice in big games, firstly for the FA Vase
FA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
Final at Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
on 6 May 2001, and then in the Football League Second Division playoff Final in Cardiff on 27 May 2001.
He has been required, from time to time, to fulfil the role of fourth official in the Premier League, such as during the Newcastle
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
versus Wigan
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
match at St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
on 19 August 2006, when Martin Atkinson
Martin Atkinson
-Europe and international:On 13 October 2007, Atkinson refereed a group C qualifier for Euro 2008 between Moldova and Turkey. The game in the Moldovan capital Chişinău ended a 1–1 draw, with the referee showing two yellow cards....
was the match referee.
Laws has also handled important matches involving the England national youth football team
England national youth football team
England national youth football team can refer to the following age group teams:* England national under-23 football team* England national under-22 football team* England national under-21 football team* England national under-20 football team...
, such as their fixture against Scotland youth
Scotland national youth football team
Scotland national youth football team can refer to the following age group teams:* Scotland national under-23 football team* Scotland national under-22 football team* Scotland national under-21 football team* Scotland national under-20 football team...
on 22 December 2004 at Victoria Park, Hartlepool
Victoria Park, Hartlepool
Victoria Park is a 7,856 capacity football ground in Hartlepool, County Durham, England and it is the home of Hartlepool United.The four sides of the ground are known as the Town End Terrace , the Niramax Stand , the Cyril Knowles Stand and the Rink End Victoria Park is a 7,856 capacity football...
, which finished 1–0 to England, courtesy of a David Wheater
David Wheater
David James Wheater is an English footballer who plays for Bolton Wanderers. He is a centre back, although he is capable of playing at right back as well.-Middlesbrough:...
goal in the 27th minute.
On 28 April 2002, he was appointed to referee a Second Division playoff semi-final first leg match between Huddersfield
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
and Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
, which finished 0–0. This was followed on 2 May 2002 by a semi-final second leg tie between Millwall
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
and Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
in the First Division playoffs. Birmingham won 1-0 to confirm their place in the Final, and subsequently the Premiership. Then, on 11 May 2002, he refereed the Second Division playoff Final at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, when Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
beat Brentford 2–0 to gain promotion to the First Division.
Critical reactions to his refereeing
Ronnie MooreRonnie Moore
Ronald David "Ronnie" Moore is an English football manager and former player. He is considered one of the greatest Rotherham United players of all time, and is also considered the best manager Rotherham United have ever had, becoming a club legend. and went on to manage the Millers for seven years...
, then the manager of Rotherham
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
, was highly critical of Laws after his side lost 3–2 at home to Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in the old First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
fixture on 5 October 2002. In answer to the referee's issue of nine yellow cards and one red card, he commented: "It would have been a game, a hell of a game".
"One man has spoiled the game", said Moore. The main incident occurred just before half-time, "when Chris Swailes
Chris Swailes
Christopher William Swailes is a retired English footballer. He has previously played for Ipswich Town under former Scotland manager, George Burley.-Early days:...
, running side by side with Svetoslav Todorov
Svetoslav Todorov
Svetoslav Todorov is a Bulgarian International football player, who currently plays for Litex Lovech.-PFC Dobrudzha/Litex Lovech:...
, nudged his hip into the Portsmouth forward", and the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n international fell in the penalty area
Penalty area
The penalty area , is an area of an association football pitch. It is rectangular and extends to each side of the goal and in front of it. Within the penalty area is the penalty spot , which is from the goal line, directly in-line with the centre of the goal...
. Laws awarded a penalty
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
to Portsmouth and sent Swailes off. Referring to the referee's interpretation of the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, Moore would only say: "If he [Todorov] could have scored from there, I'm a Dutchman
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
".
Another outspoken club boss, Stan Ternent
Stan Ternent
Francis Stanley "Stan" Ternent is an English former footballer and manager. He managed Blackpool, Hull City, Bury, Burnley, Gillingham and Huddersfield Town. He is currently a scout for Sunderland.-Career:...
, levelled more criticism at Graham Laws after the 2–2 FA Cup third round draw on 4 January 2003 between Grimsby and Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
at Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
. Ternent, the Burnley manager at the time, felt that the award of a penalty to Grimsby for a foul on Stuart Campbell
Stuart Campbell (footballer)
Stuart Pearson Campbell is an English-born Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Football League Two side Bristol Rovers. He has previously played for Leicester City, Birmingham City and Grimsby Town. At international level, he won 15 caps for the Scotland under-21...
, when his side were 2–0 up, marked a "turning point in the game". "I felt it was an extremely poor decision for the penalty. There wasn't an appeal," he said. "We were fine until he (the referee) gave that decision - it was ridiculous. I think he was the only person in Humberside
Humberside
Humberside was a non-metropolitan and ceremonial county in Northern England from 1 April 1974 until 1 April 1996. It was composed of land from either side of the Humber Estuary, created from portions of the East and West ridings of Yorkshire and parts of Lindsey, Lincolnshire...
who could have seen it because there was no appeal anywhere." Ternent added: "I've seen the referee and he said that Mark McGregor
Mark McGregor
Mark Dale Thomas McGregor is an English football defender, who is now player-manager at Welsh Premier League club Gap Connah's Quay...
pulled his (Campbell's) shirt, but I don't know who was more surprised, us or them."
Three weeks later, the Guardian newspaper journalist Daniel Taylor described Laws as "a bewildering referee who irritated both sets of supporters" after the 1–1 (old) First Division draw on 25 January 2003 at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
between Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
and Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
.
Further honourable appointments
On 10 February 2004, Laws took control of the Football League TrophyFootball League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
Southern Final first leg contested by Colchester
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
and Southend
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
at Layer Road
Layer Road
Layer Road was a Football League stadium in Colchester, England. It was only used for football matches and was the home ground of Colchester United before being replaced by the Weston Homes Community Stadium. The stadium held spectators and was built in 1907, originally for use by Colchester Town...
, the home side suffering a 3–2 defeat.
He was honoured with further end-of-season Playoff appointments in 2004. On 15 May 2004, he took charge of the Third Division playoff semi-final first leg at Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank
Sincil Bank is a football stadium in Lincoln, England and has been the home of Lincoln City since 1895. Previously, Lincoln City had played at the nearby John O'Gaunts ground since the club's 1884 inception. Sincil Bank has an overall capacity of 10,120 and is colloquially known to fans as "The...
between Lincoln
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
and Huddersfield, which ended in a 2–1 away win. And he then went to the Withdean Stadium
Withdean Stadium
Withdean Stadium is an athletics stadium in Withdean, a suburb of Brighton. Between 1999 and 2011 it was the home ground of football team Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.....
on 20 May 2004 to handle the Second Division playoff semi-final second leg between Brighton
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
and Swindon
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
.
Burnley, and Steve Cotterill
Laws found it necessary to abandon the New Year's DayNew Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
2005 fixture between Burnley and Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
in the Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
after 19 minutes because of "torrential rain". Both managers agreed he had done the right thing. Burnley's Steve Cotterill
Steve Cotterill
Stephen "Steve" Cotterill is an English former footballer who is manager of Nottingham Forest.-Playing career:...
said: "It was a wise decision and the referee had my full support". His opposite number for Leicester, Craig Levein
Craig Levein
Craig William Levein is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager of the Scotland national team. During his playing career he played for Cowdenbeath and Heart of Midlothian...
, concurred: "It was a good decision for it had become a bit of a lottery. It was just a matter of time before someone got injured and that is clearly not an acceptable situation. The referee was right to give it a go but it became unplayable."
On 26 February 2005, managers from both sides in the Championship encounter between Preston North End and Burnley felt that Laws had got a major decision wrong in awarding the home side a penalty eight minutes from the end, from which the only goal was scored, when Burnley's Lee Roche
Lee Roche
Lee Paul Roche is an English footballer who plays for Droylsden. He mainly plays as a right sided full-back but can also play on the right of midfield....
was adjudged to have pushed North End's USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
international Eddie Lewis in the penalty area.
"It's not a penalty for me. At the end of the game, I said to him (Laws) that I supported the decision when he cancelled the game against Leicester on New Year's Day, but I can't support that decision," said Burnley manager Steve Cotterill. "The player was off the pitch, the ball was on its way out of play and I think if that incident had happened at the other end, in front of our fans, it wouldn't have been given." His counterpart, Billy Davies
Billy Davies
William McIntosh "Billy" Davies is a Glasgow-born Scottish football manager, noted for his achievement in the Football League Championship with East Midlands Rivals Derby County and Nottingham Forest and Preston North End which has led him to be described, in 2011, as "probably the best manager at...
, commented: "If I was Steve, I would be saying it wasn't a penalty and it certainly looks soft. I said that to him at the time, but we were certainly appealing for it because Eddie went around their lad, but without seeing it again it looks pretty soft".
More notable matches
Laws was man-in-the-middle when Wrexham beat OldhamOldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
1–0 in the Football League Trophy Northern Final second leg on 8 March 2005, to progress to the national Final, which they won.
He then returned to Lincoln City's ground on 14 May 2005 to take control of their League Two playoff
Football League Two play-offs
The Football League Two play-offs are a series of play-off matches, contested by the teams finishing from 4th to 7th in the Football League Two table to determine the fourth promotion place to the third tier of English football, League One. The semi-finals are played over two legs, with 7th playing...
semi-final first leg against Macclesfield
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
, and they won 1–0 in progressing to the Final, which they lost.
Ups and downs in 2005 and 2006
Further criticism came Laws' way at the start of the following season after he sent the then Derby CountyDerby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
manager, Phil Brown, to the stands
Terrace (stadium)
A terrace or terracing in sporting terms refers to the traditional standing area of a sports stadium, particularly in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
during their 2–2 away draw in the Championship at Burnley's Turf Moor
Turf Moor
Turf Moor is a football stadium in Burnley, Lancashire. It is the home ground of Burnley Football Club, which has played there since moving from its Calder Vale ground in 1883. The stadium, which is situated on Harry Potts Way, named so after the club's longest serving Manager, has a capacity of...
on 27 August 2005. Burnley had had a player dismissed earlier, but Brown was banished "for continual encroachment on to the field of play", although he defended his actions by saying: "When the ball goes into the stand it's not going to come back fast when they're down to 10 men. It just wasn't fair. I complained to the referee and he sent me off because I walked on to the pitch."
At the end of that season, Laws handled the League One playoff semi-final first leg between Brentford and Swansea
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
on 14 May 2006. Swansea won 2–0, but lost in the Final to Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
.
Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n international player Danny Tiatto
Danny Tiatto
Daniele Amadeo "Danny" Tiatto is an Australian professional football player who plays for St Albans Saints in the Victorian Premier League.-Early years:...
was involved in allegations of racial abuse when Leicester City played Stoke City
Stoke City F.C.
Stoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
under Laws' control at the Walkers Stadium
Walkers Stadium
The King Power Stadium is a football stadium which hosts home matches of English football club Leicester City. The all-seater stadium, inaugurated in July 2002, holds 32,500 and has the 19th largest stadium capacity in England. The stadium is named after King Power, a company owned by club owner...
in a Championship match on 31 October 2006. Leicester's Tiatto "denied racially abusing Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese midfield
Midfield
Midfield is the part of a sports pitch that lies approximately in the center. It is a term most commonly associated with football to refer to the area in and around the center circle, as well as the players who occupy that region, but it can be used in field hockey to describe the same area, or in...
er Salif Diao
Salif Diao
Salif Alassane Diao is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League club Stoke City....
" of Stoke, saying: "It's just one of those things, heat of the moment, something said on the pitch, nothing racist whatsoever. I'm not that kind of person. The player had no problem with me and shook my hand after the game" However, Diao's team-mate, Michael Duberry
Michael Duberry
Michael Wayne Duberry is an English footballer who plays for League Two club Oxford United. He started his career with Premier League side Chelsea and also played for Leeds United, Reading, Stoke City, Bournemouth and St...
, commented: "I'm not sure if the ref[eree] heard it himself but a lot of players did. And he (Tiatto) knows what he said. He should be disgusted with himself." Duberry added: "It wasn't a black or white remark, there was no mention of colour, but it's still racism." "[T]he FA revealed the match referee Graham Laws made no reference to the alleged incident in his match report", and, as Tiatto further pointed out: "No action has been taken so it's obvious from that there was no sort of racist comment made".
Football League Trophy Final 2007, and more League playoffs
By far the greatest honour of his career was his appointment to the Football League Trophy Final, contested by Bristol RoversBristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
and Doncaster Rovers
Doncaster Rovers F.C.
Doncaster Rovers Football Club is an English football club, based at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. The team currently competes in the Football League Championship, after being promoted via the League One play-offs in 2008, and have remained there since.The club was founded in...
at the Millennium Stadium on 1 April 2007, when Doncaster triumphed 3–2 through an extra time goal by Graeme Lee
Graeme Lee (footballer)
Graeme Lee is an English professional footballer who plays for Darlington as a defender. He has previously played for Hartlepool United, Sheffield Wednesday, Doncaster Rovers, Bradford City and also had loan spells with Hartlepool and Shrewsbury Town...
.
He was then at Lincoln for a third time during the end-of-season playoffs, this time in a semi-final second leg encounter against Bristol Rovers in the League Two competition on 17 May 2007, which Rovers won 5–3.
Disagreement with Warnock
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
manager Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock is an English former footballer who is currently manager of English Premier League club Queens Park Rangers....
is said to "have a record of disagreement" with Laws, and this was further tested after he dismissed Palace's Tom Soares
Tom Soares
Thomas James "Tom" Soares is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City as a midfielder.-Crystal Palace:Born in Reading, Berkshire, Soares came up through the Crystal Palace academy, playing in central midfield, but since breaking through has been used more often on the wing for Palace, a...
in the 88th minute of a Championship match away to Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on 20 October 2007, which ended 1–1. "I've watched the incident several times and I view it as a very unlucky red card. It was a yellow at the very worst. All my player did was walk over the Blackpool lad [(Andy Welsh
Andy Welsh
Andrew Peter David "Andy" Welsh is an English footballer currently playing for Carlisle United. Despite being born in Manchester, Welsh qualifies to play for Scotland and has played for the Under 19 side....
)] who was on the floor," complained Warnock. "It was not a deliberate act — a deliberate stamp — it was just one of those things that happen in the game of football. There were six Blackpool players around the area and none of them were screaming for a red card when the incident happened."
"Perhaps the referee wanted to do something to get noticed," he added. "He was not reacting to a linesman as the linesman was 20 yards away and hadn't said a thing."
Officiating at Sheffield Wednesday
On 8 December 2007, the Championship game between Sheffield WednesdaySheffield Wednesday F.C.
Sheffield Wednesday Football Club are a football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, who are currently competing in the Football League One in the 2011-12 season, in England. Sheffield Wednesday are one of the oldest professional clubs in the world and the fourth oldest in the...
and Coventry City
Coventry City F.C.
Coventry City Football Club, otherwise known as the Sky Blues owing to the traditional colour of their strip, are a professional English Football league club based in Coventry...
at Hillsborough
Hillsborough Stadium
Hillsborough Stadium is the home of Sheffield Wednesday football club, Sheffield, England. Football has been played at the ground since it was opened on 2 September 1899, when Wednesday moved from their original ground at Olive Grove. Today it is a 39,812 capacity all-seater stadium, making it the...
had to be abandoned after 28 minutes play, "due to a heavily waterlogged pitch". Heavy rain had fallen since mid-morning and by kick-off at 3pm puddles were already forming on the pitch – which had deteriorated since it was totally replaced after the ground had been flooded under several feet of water in the summer. Laws explained: "It wasn't a difficult decision to start the game. Both teams were out there warming up and I received no complaints from anyone. While it wasn't ideal conditions, I certainly didn't see any reason not to start the game." He added: "But after about 15 minutes I started to receive complaints from players on both sides, saying that they couldn't pass the ball and they deemed it was becoming dangerous. You could feel the surface moving under your feet and I wasn't happy. It was reaching the point where it could have got farcical."
Nevertheless, the home manager was supportive of the referee's decision. "No complaints at all," said Wednesday's Brian Laws
Brian Laws
Brian Laws is an English former footballer and manager, most recently of Burnley.Playing as a defender, Laws made over 100 appearances for each of Burnley, Middlesbrough, and Nottingham Forest. In 1994, Laws became player-manager of Grimsby Town before taking a similar position with Scunthorpe...
. "We are here to put on something that the supporters are proud of. All we would have got today is route one football and see who makes the least mistakes."
In another Sheffield Wednesday home match, this time against Derby County in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
third round replay
Replay (sports)
In sports, a replay refers to a second game between two teams after the first game's results were either nullified or ended in a draw. A game may be nullified if the game's result is protested and the organizers ruled to replay the game...
on 22 January 2008, the match referee, Chris Foy
Chris Foy (referee)
Christopher J. Foy is an English professional football referee who officiates in the Premier League....
, picked up a groin injury just before full time. As the score was 1–1 at that point, extra time was required and Laws, as fourth official, had to take over from him for the added thirty minutes. A request was also put out over the public address
Public address
A public address system is an electronic amplification system with a mixer, amplifier and loudspeakers, used to reinforce a sound source, e.g., a person giving a speech, a DJ playing prerecorded music, and distributing the sound throughout a venue or building.Simple PA systems are often used in...
system for a qualified referee to assist Foy in fourth official duties during the deciding period. As it happened, no further goals were scored, and penalties
Penalty shootout (football)
A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
were needed to resolve the tie, Derby winning this 4–2.
Latter career
Carlisle UnitedCarlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
manager John Ward was unhappy with Laws during a League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
match at home to Luton
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
on 11 March 2008, when the referee failed to stop play in order for the home side's Jeff Smith
Jeff Smith (footballer)
Jeffrey 'Jeff' Smith , is an English footballer midfielder who plays for Whitby Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division....
to receive treatment for an ankle injury. "It's nasty. He's got a massive ankle in there and I thought it was a nasty challenge," Ward said afterwards. "The onus is on the referee. It's the referee's decision to stop the game."
Family life
His brother, David Laws, was also a Football League referee, from 1995 to 2003.External links
- Graham Laws Referee Statistics at Soccerbase.com