Town boss Paul Lambert has revealed referees’ chief Mike Jones agreed that Andre Dozzell shouldn’t have been shown a red card at Sunderland on Tuesday, despite an FA Regulatory Panel upholding the dismissal yesterday.
Dozzell, who was given his marching orders by referee Peter Wright for a challenge on ex-Town skipper Grant Leadbitter in the 72nd minute in the 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, now faces a three-match ban, although he can play at Crawley in the Papa John’s Trophy on Tuesday.
Lambert said following the match that he intended to speak to Jones, the national group director of the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL).
"I think it was there for everybody to see,” Lambert said when asked about the red card being upheld.
"The disappointing thing for me is that I spoke to Mike Jones right after the game and he got the footage.
"Mike kindly phoned me back and I spoke to him and even in his opinion it was never a red card, and that’s the head of refereeing.
"I’ve spoken to other guys who have been at the top of the game in the Premier League and they said the same - never a red card.
"And if you look at it, Andre was actually pushed at the beginning. There was no force in it, there was no speed in it so to get a red card for that [was wrong]. And to have three ex-players on the panel, maybe I don’t know the rules anymore.
"I think it was incredible, especially when you’re getting the feedback from the top guys. Why is there the disparity? I don’t know.”
It’s hardly the first time Town have been on the wrong side of erratic refereeing since dropping into League One.
Last season, Jones again backed Lambert after a perfectly good goal was ruled out against Wycombe and more recently after a very soft penalty was awarded against the Blues in the 1-0 defeat at Lincoln.
Might Town have to accept that the standard of refereeing is lower at this level?
"The thing at Lincoln, again I spoke to Mike, I spoke to him the day after that as well,” Lambert continued.
"He spoke to the referee from that game [Kevin Johnson], he spoke to the observer and they actually admitted that it was the wrong decision. Three guys again.
"In the last three weeks we’ve had two incredible decisions go against us, unbelievable game-changers without a doubt because we’d played really well in both games.
"You’re getting top advice from top people to look at the footage and see it and everybody agreed that the two decisions [were wrong], that it wasn’t a red card and it wasn’t a penalty.
"Even the penalty against Sunderland, it’s incredible. If you’re asking me the question whether I think there is a disparity between the standard in the Premier League and everywhere else, it’s big.
"It’s a hard gig they’ve got but you’ve got to get big moments right. You cannot guess. Did the FA not come out after the Eric Dier situation [in the Spurs-Newcastle game in September] and say that referees, if they use common sense, look at it themselves? Use common sense.
"You cannot jump without your hands in the air. Toto actually heads the ball, Mark McGuinness can’t see where the ball is. He can’t see it. Use your common sense.
"Mike’s been really good, I’ve got no problem with the feedback, but when you’re calling big moments you’ve got to get them right.”
Lambert says he can’t give Dozzell any guarantees he’ll come straight back into the team after his suspension, despite the 21-year-old’s excellent form so far this season.
"I can’t assure him he’ll come back in, that’s impossible,” he said. "He’s been brilliant for us. I don’t know, but I can’t say ‘You’re guaranteed to come back in’, that’s football.
"It happens. He’s been playing really well, it’s a really big blow for us because he’s been playing really well but I could never guarantee what is going to happen.”