I agree with the ref's decision. This law was introduced to prevent substituted players taking a slow walk off the pitch and to increase the time the ball is in play and, consequently, supporters' enjoyment of the game.

I hope this ref added extra time on to account for the stoppage the player's actions caused.

I disagree with this rule, he was at least jogging and all the refs have to do is press the stopwatch.

As 64 minutes had gone and it was 0-0 and Glentoran were at home it was hardly time-wasting. And if it was Cliftonville went on to win.

Just out of interest. Does anyone know if the substitution was allowed?

Further is there a direction that referees should caution players in this situation. If there is I suppose he would have had no option. If he did have an option it was petty in the extreme.

It looks like the sub couldn't be used, which is the only logical outcome. Glentoran finished with 10 men and their website says he was directed by the ref towards the away supporters!

This rule was brought in to prevent players about to be subbed locating themselves as far away from the dugout as possible before their number was shown. I have witnessed this many times over Dave Parade when the subbed player will not only do that but wave to his supporters and shake every hand on the way of the pitch.
I did notice during the Exeter match the ref order their about to be subbed 'pony-tailed' player off at the Bisley side of the pitch.

Chelsea managed to take about 3 minutes to make a double-sub yesterday, both went off the long way. Quite why they decided to cost themselves another goal or two by doing this, I'm not sure.

Ref was absolutely right, and no, they wouldn't allow the sent off player to be subbed - could have replaced one of the other 10 though.

Much more time is wasted by the refs not enforcing the 6 seconds rules for keepers holding on to the ball.

Blackandamber wrote:Much more time is wasted by the refs not enforcing the 6 seconds rules for keepers holding on to the ball.

That is probably true. But it's not got much to do with substitutions. And they're at least implementing that evenly - i.e. never for anyone.

He'd have recd a yellow card for this offence, for preventing the timely restart of the match. Presumably he'd already been booked hence his dismissal. And no - a player sent off can't be replaced so long as he's dismissed either when he's still on the pitch or in the vicinity.

I once dismissed a player 5mins before a game started, for foul and abusive language. But, because his manager hadn't yet handed the teamsheet to me he COULD be replaced, once the teamsheet is in the ref's hands he can't be replaced.

The ref was clearly directing the player to do something, the player looked at the ref and ignored him. The card could have possibly been for dissent, as the player hadn't actually left the pitch when the whistle was blown. Either that or time wasting. Would be interesting to see what the ref put as the reason.

Strikes me the rule ignores player safety.

George Street-Bridge wrote:It looks like the sub couldn't be used, which is the only logical outcome. Glentoran finished with 10 men and their website says he was directed by the ref towards the away supporters!

I'm sure he would have been okay coming off the pitch in front of Cliftonville supporters. There is a clip of the fans from Solitude on a cold December evening responding to sectarian chanting by bursting into a chorus of 'We wish you a merry Christmas'. Now whether his reception would have been less friendly had he done something provocative like pretending to play a flute I'm not sure.

George the issue is whether going to celebrate a goal in front of opposing fans is a stupid thing to do. In my view it is. In your view it doesn't matter.

There's nothing more to be said.

George Street-Bridge wrote:Strikes me the rule ignores player safety.

Hopefully the rule will be reviewed in light of the Patrick Bamford incident at Millwall on the weekend.

Well, if a manager can send an instruction to a player to go to the far touchline prior to being called off (as I'm sure happened) then he can get him to come to the near side when a substitution I imminent.