Big club bias.

[Leicesterbaggie]

Bobby Madley's decision, on Monday night, not to award a penalty to West Brom brings into question again the issue of 'big club bias'. Had that been at the other end would a penalty have been given ? I suspect so. Referees don't help themselves because in the second half he awards a penalty to Arsenal which, in my opinion, 50% of referees would have given and 50% wouldn't. I have no problem with that but surely Madley would have realised at half time that he had made a mistake but still proceeds to give Arsenal a far more dubious penalty. Playing advantage was no excuse because had he given the penalty he would have had to send the player off leaving Arsenal probably a goal down and having to play the rest of the game with ten men. A different result would therefore have been a very strong probability. There is very little doubt that 99.9% of observers thought it a shocking decision and does beg the question that referees show bias towards the so called 'bigger clubs'.

[goodlordmurphy]

Bobby Madley's decision, on Monday night, not to award a penalty to West Brom brings into question again the issue of 'big club bias'. Had that been at the other end would a penalty have been given ? I suspect so. Referees don't help themselves because in the second half he awards a penalty to Arsenal which, in my opinion, 50% of referees would have given and 50% wouldn't. I have no problem with that but surely Madley would have realised at half time that he had made a mistake but still proceeds to give Arsenal a far more dubious penalty. Playing advantage was no excuse because had he given the penalty he would have had to send the player off leaving Arsenal probably a goal down and having to play the rest of the game with ten men. A different result would therefore have been a very strong probability. There is very little doubt that 99.9% of observers thought it a shocking decision and does beg the question that referees show bias towards the so called 'bigger clubs'.

It is my opinion after watching this sort of thing happen every weekend that the saying 'you get what you pay for' rings true more and more in this money orientated game I used to love but now can't stand.

[talkSAFT]

In 15 years of being in and out of the Prem, I still haven't heard of a Ref "coming out".
By "coming out" I mean one hasn't admitted to the Media that The Secret Society have made it clear that The Big 6 are expected to get all the favourable decisions, and that with a nod and a wink they'll see the Refs financially alriight. I'm just expecting it to happen, but it hasn't yet.

[stripes39]

I missed the game due to being overseas this week so despite seeing the goals, can't comment first hand. The general view in the media was that we were very hard done by but then again, someone I know who attended the match said Arsenal had a good call not given.

Your point is right though regards bias. Burnley, Stoke, Brighton, ourselves etc simply do not get the benefit of the doubt that the big 4 or 5 clubs do. There are too many examples out there. Peter Scudamore went on the record as saying 'it wasn't good for business' when United spent some time outside the top 5. It suits the marketing of the Premier League to have the usual suspects forever in the top spots now that the English market has become something of an irrelevance to them. The comments made by John Giles on another thread here are spot on that the Premier League has airbrushed a lot of history away as if football only started 25 years ago. Listening to much of the media and the new wave of SKY watching plastic fans, he makes a good point. So yes, I think somewhere there is a collective will that the big clubs stay where they are as its 'good for business'

[SwedishBaggie]

Yes, sadly, a big buck club bias is there in every aspect of the game. The decisions of the refs, forgetting that there was a top flight for a long time before the PL, games shown on tv, highlights on MOTD etc,etc...

[holmleighchris]

I certainly get that feeling. Not sure it would have been a definite sending off though.
As for the Arsenal penalty, I wouldn't call that 50/50. Even Bobby spotted that one!

[viaductbaggies]

Listening to Graham poll and Mark Halsey on talksport on Tuesday and they both said Madeley didn’t signal to play advantage this staring he didn’t even think it was a foul !!!!!!!!!

[The Minn Junta]

Watching Chris Foy always made my blood boil, when 'reffing' the big clubs he was like a moth to a lamp where the likes of Ferguson were concerned. If ever there was one single incident that confirmed my suspicions it was THAT tackle on Dorran's up the Smethwick End from Gary Neville, even Gary Neville himself said later in a documentary that he knew it was time to pack it in after making that challenge.

Says it all really.

[holmleighchris]

Listening to Graham poll and Mark Halsey on talksport on Tuesday and they both said Madeley didn’t signal to play advantage this staring he didn’t even think it was a foul !!!!!!!!!

This is quite shocking!!
You listen to Talksport?!?!??!!!?!?!?!

[viaductbaggies]

Haha yeah for my sins but only the breakfast show