Port Vale have confirmed that their appeal to get George Byers’ red card overturned has been unsuccessful.
The dismissal was highly controversial with many fans feeling the red card decision was excessive but an FA panel have upheld the decision.
A statement from the club reads:
We can confirm the club has been unsuccessful in appealing the red card received by George Byers in our Sky Bet League One fixture against Burton Albion.
The midfielder was shown a straight red card for “Serious Foul Play” by referee Scott Oldham in the fifteenth minute of Saturday’s 0-0 draw at the Pirelli Stadium.
Following an appeal hearing today (18 August) the original decision has been upheld by an FA Regulatory Commission. George will now serve a three-match ban.
I saw two tackles in the Manchester United v Arsenal game which in my opinion were more dangerous than the one by George and in both instances a foul was given but no cards were shown
double standards
There’s a shock, appeal unsuccessfull ! well it would be otherwise the FA Regulatory Commission would be admitting that vast majority of refs ‘aren’t fit to referee’ otherwise they would be overturning decisions every week. So we’ll let terrible officials like Scott Oldham ruin the game instead of protecting football and improving standards !
At first sight Byers’s tackle looked very reckless by today’s standards, although slow motion replay possibly argued for a yellow card. I can see why without the benefit of VAR the referee called red. It was in a non threatening area of the pitch from Vale’s perspective, a tackle Byers didn’t have to make. Of course he’s in the team as a ball winner, and 50 years ago he likely wouldn’t even have been booked. But, times have changed particularly in the last 10 years, and the traditionally robust “wing half” tackling of yesteryear is simply not permitted without being penalized.
Against what most Vale fans may say, I thought Byers went through the lad to get a touch on the ball. I always look at things, if that tackle had been made on a Vale player what would your reaction be then. And to say you’ve seen worse tackles than that and nothing was given doesn’t mean anything, in fact the tackle by Clark on the halfway line in the last minute was worse than Byers, but we got away with that one. Both of Clark’s feet were off the ground, which is dangerous and out of control. I know people think I constantly moan but I’m more than happy when I think Moore and the team are doing well. Moores team selection and tactics were shocking in the first half at Rotherham, and personally I don’t like all the changes at Blackpool but he got away with it. But in all fairness Vale have been a joy to watch, it’s everything I’ve been asking for, open attacking football full of energy. Results might not be what we’ve deserved but good performances will turn that around. For some reason it seems easier to play open football the higher you go up the ladder. One thing I will moan about is the substitution of Ojo with a couple of minutes to go at Burton. No one was struggling, everyone knew there jobs so why chance things to wind the clock down by making unnecessary substitutions ? The tackle Ojo made in the closing stages summed Vales hard working display up.
Crazy, football has lost all credibility. Obviously it has now become a non contact sport. The Burton player jumped straight back up to his feet with no injury , admittedly to moan to the ref , but showing the tackle did him no harm whatsoever.
Two needless lunging tackles in midfield areas.
Two straight red cards.
Hopefully, Darren will be telling our players to stay on their feet, when tackling.