Hertfordshire official Keith Hill is back at Loftus Road for a second time this season on Tuesday.
Sheffield Wednesday v Queens Park Rangers
Referee – Keith Hill (Hertfordshire)
Assistants – Cooper (Kent) and Hopkins (Essex)
Fourth Official – Hooper (Wiltshire)
It would be remiss of me to allow a column to pass in this momentous week without commenting on the miracle – a penalty, and a red card, against Man Utd at Old Trafford. And haven’t they taken it well? Ferguson saying he could get the sack on the back of his decisions, Ronaldo moaning that he’s “scared” to play his natural game for fear of being kicked, Keith Hackett is putting the players in danger, Portsmouth won with the confidence given to them by knowing the officials were on their side.
My God, little wonder penalties are given t Old Trafford so seldomly when this is the way they behave after them. Funny, I don’t recall Ferguson complaining when his team walked to the title on the back of nine penalties awarded in their favour at Old Trafford within six months by Mike Riley – including a ridiculous decision against Arsenal their closest rivals.
If Ronaldo is only just realising that doing all those silly step overs is going to result in you getting kicked every now and again then he’s even thicker than I gave him credit for. Not often I stick up for the referees in this column but Martin Atkinson refereed the game well, got the big decisions right and Ferguson and his moaning whiney reds should have the book thrown at them for their pathetic after match rants.
As we attempt to beat our Tuesday night hoodoo against Blackpool we have Keith Hill in charge.
So far this season Hill has shown 96 yellows (3.69 a match) and five reds in 26 matches, nine of which have been in the Championship. In those nine matches he has shown 40 yellows and four reds which, at 4.44 a game, is substantially higher than his overall average – twice in the Championship he has shown seven yellows and one red in a match, Southampton v Charlton and Bristol City v Barnsley. Last season he showed 117 yellows (3.44 a game) and nine reds in 34 matches.
This is Hill’s second QPR match of the season after previously taking charge of our 1-1 draw at home to Watford back in the autumn, where he harshly sent Mikele Leigertwood off for two bookings. He rated at 5/10 in that match, good enough for joint 21st on the referee league.
Referee: Keith Hill (Hertfordshire) 5 - Missed what looked like a penalty to me right at the death and very harshly sent Leigertwood off. In a derby game as fiercely and fairly competitive as this one you expect a few tackles to fly in and Leigertwood's two offences were worth a yellow card and a ticking off at most. LFW Watford Match Report
Last season he took charge of our trip to Sheffield Wednesday where we were beaten 3-2 thanks to the award of a controversial penalty to the home side. His rating of four for that game saw him finish joint 26th on the referee league.
Referee: K Hill (Hertfordshire) 4 - Blew his whistle constantly. Pulled people up for the most minimal of fouls, insisted that every free kick was taken from the exact spot of the foul, even if that meant making a player retake a kick by his own corner flag twice. Got the penalty decision wrong and then, having given it, failed to send off Paul Jones when he should have done. Did nothing about the time wasting at the end of the second half. Basically he was very, very picky which is quite unlike him. LFW Sheff Wed Match Report
Hill was in charge of Blackpool twice last season as they climbed out of League One. They drew 1-1 at Northampton and picked up two bookings and beat Crewe 2-1 at home.
Elsewhere this cold, wet and windy midweek we have Trevor Kettle in charge of Sheff Utd v Coventry and Kevin Friend has Colchester v Sheff Wed so best of luck to those teams with that – quite what Friend will do to a blood and thunder relegation six pointer is anybody’s guess. Lower down Prem ref Mike Dean has Crewe v Port Vale, a relegation battle and a local derby to boot, and Andy Hall has Notts County v Lincoln.