I remember Deadman. He got worse and worse against us over the years. Terrible ref.

So I understand it, the irony of the Kevin Friend situation is that he isn't even a Leicester fan - just from the area. However, I think the decision has been made to take him out of any potential firing line rather than because of a fear of favouritism.

It's a shame because Kevin Friend is pretty awful

"So the prem league can pick and choose refs as they see fit, but lower down the allegiances of refs to other teams is not considered."

So, who are you blaming here?

Don't see a problem. Its for the best.

I don't get it... OP, what or who are you blaming? It seems that you are having a dig at "the PL".

Friend has admitted to the PGMO that he is a Leicester supporter

Well, if he is a Leicester supporter then he shouldn't be reffing Spurs' matches at the moment. Although I thought Michael Oliver was a Newcastle supporter and he was given the Palace vs. Norwich match last weekend.

Completely agree with this change. No point in creating any unnecessary accusations of bias. This could actually benefit Leicester because he may have been so keen not to show favouritism to Stoke that he subconsciously or consciously went too fat the other way.

Good decision by the Premier League.

* too far NOT too fat.

Then again he is quite porky

FFS - I hear the decision was made when Friend accidentally sent in his match report explaining why he sent off Vertonghen and Alderweireld a week early.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OP IS COMPLAINING ABOUT

Robben - He's still complaining about Darren Deadman. Thorney has a long memory.

I don't get it though

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

Sensible decision really.

I think the OP is a bit prickly on the subject of referees....

A mate of mine is a neighbour of Mr Friend and he told me he is a Bristol city fan.

^
That's what I'd heard too.

Comment deleted by Site Moderator

A friend of a friend of Mr. Friend also told me he supports Bristol City!

whats next . stop a ref doing Man Utd because he comes from London where a lot of their fans are from. The pressure is cranking up at spurs because all the media about this ref has come from them.

comment by langleyfox (U17390)
posted 39 seconds ago
whats next . stop a ref doing Man Utd because he comes from London where a lot of their fans are from. The pressure is cranking up at spurs because all the media about this ref has come from them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this is tongue in cheek

comment by Robben (U1145)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by langleyfox (U17390)
posted 39 seconds ago
whats next . stop a ref doing Man Utd because he comes from London where a lot of their fans are from. The pressure is cranking up at spurs because all the media about this ref has come from them.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope this is tongue in cheek
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think it's intended to be. It's poking fun and plastic fans.

A bit like people who support more than one club ....

Didnt he ref the spurs 0-3 win at norwich in feb ?

I still don't understand what the OP is getting at.

Who or what is displaying "double standards"?

He's saying its ok in the lower leagues to have a biased ref but not in the PL.

The ref for the Palace v Norwich game didnt award a blatant penalty to Norwich and he's a Newcastle fan.

If he was a Leicester fan it would make sense but he's not a Leicester fan so it seems a bit daft but Spurs are clearly getting desperate now and if it saves any sort of conspiracy afterwards then let them change him.

At the end of the day no matter who the refs support they will most likely want Leicester to win the league anyway just like most fans do so will it really make any difference?

But as someone else said it might well benefit Leicester because Friend could have gone the opposite way and not awarded decisions in Stoke's favour just in case. It seems sensible to me.