City appeal against Ned's red

September 22, 2005

DONNY DISASTER: Nedum Onuoha before his red card

Manchester City have lodged a formal claim for wrongful dismissal on behalf of defender Nedum Onuoha.

The teenager was red carded during last night’s shock Carling Cup defeat to Doncaster at Belle Vue after a penalty area collision with Andy Warrington which left the Rovers keeper with a suspected broken leg.

Television replays indicated the decision was incorrect and Onuoha had actually tried to minimise the damage before impact.

A representative of referee Graham Salisbury entered the visitors’ dressing room half an hour after the final whistle and told City officials the decision would be rescinded.

However, it now transpires he was speaking out of turn as only the Football Association’s disciplinary panel has the power to overturn decisions, and then only after the affected player’s club has appealed.

City duly launched the process this morning, leaving the FA to deal with the matter tomorrow.

Although the commission has the power to reach any conclusion it wishes, Salisbury’s admission of error and the compelling TV evidence mean Onuoha’s dismissal is virtually certain to be overturned, leaving the 18-year-old free to face Newcastle at St James’ Park on Sunday.

“After watching the replays, it is an embarrassing decision,” said Pearce, whose side were leading when Onuoha was dismissed but eventually went down 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out.

“Nedum is not a malicious player and if you look at it, he has actually done the keeper a favour by keeping his studs down so it ended up being a clash of knees.”

What did you make of the decision? Have your say.

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Jeff Jones, Office, ignoring rag texts. (22/09/2005 at 11:39)

Diabolical refereeing.
You could have put money on a penalty being awarded against us following our own penalty. But to send a young lad off for not scoring is preposterous. If nedum had actually lifted the ball over the keeper, his foot would have taken the goalies head off. But he pulled back a bit and look what happened. the referee was so influenced by the home crowd it was beyond belief. It was as if he wanted Doncaster to equalise, to make up for a perceived injustice.
Having said all that, I am not sure tht we deserved anything last night, we were creative, but did not have anybody with the required composure to coldly stick it in the old onion bag. So similar to Sunday!

Elaine Harrison, Middleton (22/09/2005 at 12:16)

Jeff, you are spot on, I said to my mate a few seconds before he gave it that the ref would try and give a penalty to Doncaster. It really is scary to think that our forward line is as weak as it was last night, surely playing Miller or at least having him on the bench should have been an option, it wasn't Aresenal we were playing so Miller should have been an option.

Christian, Glasgow (22/09/2005 at 12:29)

Diabolical refereeing last night. That said, no way should City miss three straight penalties and there is no excuse for the poor attempts made by three Premiership players.
More worrying was the lack of depth in goalscoreres on the bench. Where was Miller or even Sturridge?????

Nwaovim, London (22/09/2005 at 12:39)

Give the ref some credit. He might have been totally useless, shortsighted and incompetent but he was at least consistent through the entire game. He showed how a game should not be refereed by having an open mind. It was so open that good ideas simply passed through it. SP is a credit to Mancity and I feel someone should say the things that any normal irate supporter of the club should say.

Hereford Blue, hereford (22/09/2005 at 12:50)

Disgraceful

The ref can not do his job, even after the game he still does not know the procedures correctly.

Never a sending off / never a penalty to them.

Does anyone think it was a penalty.

Blue Tiger, Virginia (22/09/2005 at 13:04)

This was a very bad decision by the ref.
What is important now that this does not affect young Nedum who was never at fault, he went for the ball, it was an accident.
Justice will be done

Johnno, Middleton (22/09/2005 at 13:11)

Don't agree with comparing last night's game to Sundays, on Sunday we played some amazing football in a competetive fashion, last night it was as if we were playing a reserve game or a training match, our players just weren't interested!.

We should still have progressed though, I agree the two decisions by the referee were the 'worst' I have seen by a referee in all my 25 years following the Blues, he should be sacked for gross incompetance and the match replayed!

Sandra O'Donovan, Galway (22/09/2005 at 13:31)

To be honest, I don't think we really deserved anything out of the match either. Having said that, Doncaster weren't much better. City did, however, deserve the penalty won by Richard Dunne and having gone 1-0 up we looked odds-on to progress to the next round - until the ref stuck his oar in, that is. OK, the red card may well be rescinded but that's scant consolation for the fact that a bad decision by the ref has possibly cost City money they could have made from a run in the League Cup. I still can't figure out why he awarded Doncaster their penalty, either. Distin won the ball fairly and Sun Jihai didn't handle it as far as I could see. I stand to be corrected but in the NFL I understand that NFL officials are assigned to each game to monitor the performance of referees and umpires. If they (the refs) don't come up to scratch then they are brought to book. What chance of a similar system being brought in by the FA? And how many more dubious (and costly) decisions will be made? Be thankful for virtual blanket TV coverage. Without it Onuoha would be facing suspension.

PS He might be suspended yet. After all there's no guarantee the FA will see sense, is there?

JR, Crewe (22/09/2005 at 13:32)

First of all i'm a Crewe supporter, but i feel i like to comment on last night fiasco. For all the play City had they played around Donny too slowly, other than Dunne's great run in leading to the Penalty. But after saying that even with 10 men they were comfortable and so they should. Good luck to Doncaster on last nights fine night for them, only wishing it was Crewe. I hope they go on and take another big scalp next round, but my gripe is all about inept Refs all around England.What annoys me is that a Referee has once again made a wrong decision and has altered the outcome of a game. After the game he has admitted this, fine the young lad will more than likely be available for this weekend. What punishment will he get, i would like to see Refs when they make errors like the one last night that they serve the suspension that the player would have got, in this case it would have been a 3 match ban. Lets make the officials more accountable ! I'm not saying that City would have gone on and won the competition, but decisions that the man in black made last night have cost City money, and in there finacial position money they would prefer to have. All i want to see is fair play, last night i'm not sure i saw that. Another giant slayed !!

Paul, Lancs (22/09/2005 at 13:56)

I'm still laughing!
HA! HA! HA!

tim kendall, poynton (22/09/2005 at 14:16)

City will never do this because of the political implications within football... however, let me explain as a lawyer. In terms of theory the game could be ruled void from the point the he was expelled from the game... interesting, and true

tim kendall, poynton (22/09/2005 at 14:20)

Paul... I wouldn't be lauguing if I were from Lancs.... are you ok?

Phil, Warrington (22/09/2005 at 14:32)

Ha ha ha 30th Anniversary here you come! play that down your tannoy you clowns!

city, city (22/09/2005 at 15:33)

phil from warrington, tuning in to OUR webpage again?? what a saddo!! just you make sure you rags put your best team out in the league cup, it`s the only comp. yuo`v a chance of winning.
ps.. support your local club!!

Yatty, Leigh (22/09/2005 at 16:26)

If failing to score is a sending off offence then french Tony would never be on the pitch! Mmm now there's a thought?

Johnno, Middleton (22/09/2005 at 16:31)

Sandra in Gallway!, Donny weren't much better?, pardon they were awful and quite simply the worst team I've ever seen City play in a competetive match!

We lost because we treated the game as a reserve match, if we had put in a third of the effort that we put in on Sunday we would have been celebrating a win by 5 or more goals not a defeat on penalties!

Dave Walker, Redditch (22/09/2005 at 16:32)

That just about says it all as Graham Salisbury plumbs new depths of incompetence - he couldn't even get it right when admitting he was wrong! What a prat!

Phil, Warrington (22/09/2005 at 16:39)

Maybe i should tell the Divs in Warrington blues to support their local team too? manchester is Local! to Us !!

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