Men In Black: Probert

Lee Probert was given the unenviable task of refereeing the Blackpool and Preston derby match on Saturday, bit how did he handle the match? Our forum members reveal all?

Ratings and quotes:

‘2.
I thought he started well but lost the plot as the game went on. Shirt pulling went unpunished and the pacing of 10yds went smaller the closer to the Knobbers goal he went.
Free kick for high feet when he put his head down? Mellors play acting?
Disappointed as he’s allegedly a Prem ref.’

‘4 from me. Rarely noticed him, with the only sore point being that McKenna wasn’t cautioned for his persistant chirping at him, the little git.’

‘2.5.
Average.
Should’ve booked Sedgewick, Mellor + Parker for diving.
Can’t really say much more, what with it being a derby…’

‘2.5 not the best and not the worst.
Should have booked the fat 33 for constantly diving/arguing.
Second half he seemed to lose it a bit and we should have had a penalty when Barker was pushed…almost into the sea!’

‘1.5 from me. Brown should have been booked, The French Wife Beater should have been off, Sedgwick should have been booked for diving and why did he book Evatt?’

‘4 – Thought he let play go on most of the time, didn’t notice him too much, no chants of ‘the referee’s a masturbator’ so not too bad all considered. He did give a couple of strange ones though when GTF had a clash of heads, why the free kick. But he showed common sense when Crainey shoved one of their players and the nobbers were shouting off, off.’

‘2 – The free kick in the first half against Evatt which led to Preston’s best chance of the match was a poor decision. It was always going to be hard for the ref but i think that he stamped his authority on the game from early on especially with Brown who managed 5 fouls in the first half on Gorkss.’

‘3/5. Started off well and you can see why he’s a Premiership ref by the way that he spoke to the players. However, as the game went on he failed to stamp his authority on the game as he perhaps should have e.g. booking McKenna for constant dissent etc.’

Mr. Probert was awarded an MIB score for the match of 2.5 which, added to his previous score, gives him an overall rating of 2 after earning a 1.5 in the playoff match against Oldham at Boundary Park last season.