Everton: Disqualify Stuart Attwell over ‘horrendous’ Mason Holgate incident – Martin Samuel
Stuart Attwell should be disqualified as an elite referee for his failure to give Everton loanee Mason Holgate a red card for a “horrendous” challenge says Martin Samuel.
The Times journalist wrote in his column for the paper’s website on 24 February that the defender’s knee-high tackle on Kaoru Mitoma in Sheffield United’s 5-0 defeat by Brighton was “very identifiable in real time” and shouldn’t have required a VAR review to dismiss the 27-year-old.
He dismantled the official for a chequered history of bad decisions after being fast-tracked into the top flight at a young age, and claimed he didn’t deserve to be there on current evidence.
Samuel wrote: “Stuart Attwell was on VAR duty at Aston Villa on Saturday, even though it is ever more apparent he has no clue what he is looking at. That Attwell thought Mason Holgate’s challenge in Sheffield United’s match with Brighton & Hove Albion was worth only a yellow card should disqualify him as an elite referee, in the short term at least.
“Holgate made a horrendous challenge on Kaoru Mitoma, reckless, high and dangerous, and very identifiable in real time. It was rightly upgraded to a red on further inspection, but that is hardly the point. Attwell has been fast-tracked and promoted throughout his career, in defiance of the evidence.
“He was 25 when he was hurried into the Premier League, taking charge of his first game on August 23, 2008, and within a month had given a ghost goal to Reading against Watford, when his assistant informed him he had seen the ball cross the line, which it hadn’t. Attwell is now 41, and doesn’t seem to have greatly improved.”
Everton loanee sent off for Kaoru Mitoma clash as Sheffield United thrashed by Brighton
It was hard to find excuses for Attwell’s decision in what was widely considered one of the worst challenges in the Premier League this season [Sky Sports, 19 February].
Toffees fans have had their own gripes with the official in recent memory, but there have been various others at the centre of Everton controversies too.
There surely should be a better system of demoting and improving referees when they make high-profile errors, since some sort of tangible process after getting calls wrong would help increase acceptance of what is admittedly a difficult, high-pressure job, rather than just plowing on regardless.
Holgate’s fortunes this season have gone from bad to worse after his unsuccessful loan spell at Southampton was ended early, and his alternative move to Bramall Lane then drew attention for the wrong reasons.
And yet the three-match ban he did subsequently receive after the VAR review saw him sent off wasn’t enough for some, as he was then subject to racist abuse which was rightly denounced as an “absolutely disgrace” by Chris Wilder [Sheffield Star, 24 February].
In other Everton news, a politician has claimed Richard Masters is now engaging in “discrimination” against the Toffees.
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