- Aug 20, 2013
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I can understand that, though they should strive for it naturally.You're not going to get consistency from different referees. What one ref thinks is different to another. I met Craig Pawson a couple of weeks ago and he was explaining it very well to me.
I really mean even consistency within a match. If Watkins got booked for his one where he made no attempt to play the ball, then there's no complaints from anyone at all when McGinn gets sent off for his. It sets a tone and a level of expectation for the players and fans. Maybe McGinn never even makes his stupid one if he's seen Watkins get booked for softer. But he's instead seen them diving in and getting away with it, and I'm sure "rightly" in his mind only expected a yellow for his one as did a lot of the rest of us based on what had been allowed up to that point.
Another example being Sarr tripping over and getting booked for falling into a Villa player. At one point Cash slipped and got his studs down the back of of of our's ankles, and it genuinely didn't look like he meant it if fairness to the prat. But...not even blown for, never mind a card.