On a second issue mentioned, the chances of getting referees to change their decisions are extremely small. As noted there are a few instances where is has happened, but it won’t happen much and I don’t think should. As a former referee for youth matches, I recognize the value of projecting confidence and the players and coaches seeing that. I was once forced to run the middle of a game at my same age class as an 18 year old when I was schedule to run the sideline and the center ref didn’t show. Both coaches were very hesitant to let me run the match until I informed them that I played at the same age level, but in more competitive league and was well aware of what takes place on the field. If a ref changes his mind, it will be seen as a lack of being confidant in your decisions and will invite more decent from players and coaches. Unless the call to be made is truly unclear, the ref should make his decision, stand by it, and make his call projecting confidence.

But this isn’t a one-way street, a lot of the referees today are stubborn and afraid to admit that they have made a mistake. IMO The solution is to have talks between the players association and the refs association. They then reach a compromise and propose it to the FA. I doubt this would ever happen though.

In answer to your question, Di Canio versus Everton when he caught the ball instead of heading for goal when the keeper went down with a head injury. Though that’s not quite the same thing I suppose… in terms of just decisions being made, I don’t ever remember this happening in top flight football.

What I do remember relatively recently (a decade or so) was when players would punch an opposition player, the ref showed a red card and the player would walk off without complaint and without the rest of the team getting involved.

Nowadays a player could use a machine gun to take out the entire opposition back 4 and would still complain and shout at the ref that it was the wrong decision.

Sounds almost like something that would happen in cricket, not football.

Come to think of it, when was the last instance that anyone can remember of REALLY good sporting behaviour by any football player along the lines of the above outlined sentiment?

Also, I know this is being a bit pedantic, but captains should have the right to DISCUSS decisions with the ref. They should never have the right to “contest” decisions.

Finally, refs can change any decision they make before they re-start play already as happened last season when a ref awarded a goal and the disallowed it after consulting with his lino following abuse from players. However, most players are liars (in the context of a match) and even if they know a decision in their favour was given incorrectly, they are hardly likely to own up to it. This sometimes happens in parks football but rarely in the Prem.

PS – The FA implementation of new rules at grass roots football is not practical and won’t work. As usual with the FA, well meaning but useless.