Friend referees Southampton game
Friday, 12th Sep 2008 09:04

Kevin Friend from Leicestershire is in charge for the televised clash between QPR and Southampton on Sunday.

Queens Park Rangers v Southampton
Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)
Assistants – Evetts (Hertfordshire) and Vaughan (Somerset)
Fourth Official – Kettle (Rutland)

This is the first refereeing column since the magnificent spectacle that was Chris Foy trying to handle Sunderland v Man City. I was told in my refereeing days that there will be games that have you throwing your kit bag into the bin at the bottom of the garden vowing never to pick up the whistle again and Mr Foy certainly had one of those a fortnight ago. He’s never been my favourite referee, prone to rushes of blood to the head and resultant questionable penalty awards, but the game at Sunderland was dire even by his mediocre standards. The sight of Andy Reid hacking his way through two City players on the touchline in a violent and dangerous way while Foy shook his head and laughed off suggestions that either malicious swipe had been a foul was painful to watch. Even Mark Hughes was brought out in fits of laughter and it was two of his players requiring treatment.

I’m always interested as to what the authorities do next with officials in this situation. Players would be dropped, everyday workers would be fired or given an official warning, and yet referees seem immune to everything. Premiership referees are often bummed off to the Championship or lower after such performances but the last time I checked it was still the same sport so I’m not sure why somebody who is incapable of refereeing Sunderland v Man City is fine to referee Birmingham v Watford for instance. I’d like to see Foy given three or four weeks off, some retraining, some video sessions and a clear mind to come back with. In fact Foy has been given Derby v Sheff Utd – arguably the highest profile Championship game of the weekend and one televised by Sky Sports. A bad decision in my opinion and one I shall observe with interest on Saturday evening.

You may think we’ve got off lightly not to have him ourselves but you’d be wrong – in Kevin Friend as referee and Trevor Kettle as fourth official we have two of this column’s regulars running the show at Loftus Road on Sunday. Luckily for us Friend tends to be a real homer, hopefully Trevor stays attached to his flashing numbers board because when given the whistle and a tight pair of shorts he’s capable of ruining even the most fabulous match and apparently revelling in it.

Friend has refereed five games this season showing 14 yellow cards and no reds so far, three of those games and 12 of those cards have been in the Championship. Last season he showed 100 yellows (2.439 a match) and 11 reds in 40 matches and that included a ridiculous match at Millwall against Oldham where eight players were booked and two sent off, including one for over celebrating. He was in charge for Rangers’ 4-2 home defeat against Burnley. A high rating of eight in that match meant he finished joint top of the referee league. His last Southampton game was a 0-0 home draw with Sheffield Wednesday last December.

Referee – Kevin Friend (Leicestershire) 8 Didn’t really complain about him all night so he must have been doing alright. LFW Burnley Match Report

In 2006/07 Friend booked 87 (2.56 a match) and sent off six in 34 games, that included two QPR games against Leeds and Birmingham. An average rating of five good enough for joint 16th on the referee league.

Referee: Mr K A Friend 5 - Well we were right, he is a home town decision maker. Apart from the scandalous decision against Stewart in the first half just about everything went Rangers way, including a highly debatable penalty. God forbid we have him for an away game again this season, I had just about all I could take at Bramall Lane last time. LFW Leeds United Match Report

Ref: K Friend (Leicestershire) 5 - Usual series of bizarre decisions but certainly this wasn't the worst game I've ever seen him have. I'd like to know his justification for penalising Blackstock, Smith and others for backing into Jaidi when he crawled all over them while at the other end Birmingham again got the decision when Stewart crawled all over their forwards. Deserves a pat on the back for telling Jerome where to get off in injury time though. LFW Birmingham Match Report

In 2005/06 he was in charge for our 3-2 win at Sheffield United but a poor rating of three had him languishing near the bottom of that season’s referee league.

Ref: K Friend (Leicestershire) 3 - Ahh Kevin, you certainly are not a friend of mine, or any away team for that matter. I find myself writing exactly the same thing about him as I did after the last time he refereed QPR, at Derby last season. Loves an easy ride, loves a home side. Gave many, many questionable decisions against Rangers, booked four when really only Langley deserved it and even that was his first offence. Allowed Montgomery to hack his way through the Rangers team without booking him, failed to spot Ade Akinbiyi's blatant foul for the Bircham own goal and awarded a terribly, disgustingly harsh penalty against Evatt after half time. Can we please have this guy at Loftus Road one day? I want to be on the other side of his cowardice. LFW Sheff Utd Match Report

Friend is, in my opinion, a poor referee. Too keen to take the easy way out, all too happy to side with the home team in the interest of having a comfortable afternoon. He’s prone to tying himself up in a mess when trying to even up previous poor decisions which can often result in a card laced disaster and ruined game – Millwall and Oldham being chief among the examples so far.

Elsewhere this weekend it’s interesting to note that Phil Dowd has again been bummed right down the league – he’s got Luton v Aldershot this week and is clearly well out of favour. Likewise Richard Beeby who has Wycombe v Brentford. Looking further ahead we have Kevin Wright for our match against Norwich on Wednesday but we’ll have more on him on Tuesday night.