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West Bromwich Albion's (left-right) Jonas Olsson, Chris Brunt and Claudio Yacob complain to Referee Andre Marriner. Stephen Pond/PA Wire/Press Association Images

West Brom receive referee chief apology for controversial Chelsea penalty

Former Ireland defender Steven Reid gave away the spotter to give the Blues an equaliser.

REFEREE CHIEF MIKE RILEY has apologised to West Brom over the controversial penalty that denied them victory at Chelsea on 9 November.

Steve Clarke’s men led 2-1 at Stamford Bridge but were harshly penalised in stoppage time by Andre Marriner after an innocuous collision between Ramires and Steven Reid, allowing Eden Hazard to score from the spot.

Riley has since deemed it appropriate to send his apologies to West Brom in an apparent admission that the official made the wrong call on the day.

“We’ve had a phone call from Mike Riley to apologise,” Clarke told the club’s official website. “It doesn’t get us any more points but it’s nice of Mike to phone. If he’s apologising, he obviously feels it was the wrong decision.

“We have to put it behind us now and move forward.”

The Hawthorns club have also sent a letter to the Premier League and Professional Game Match Officials Limited in the hope of prompting debate over new ways to help referees make difficult decisions.

YouTube: Pasie15 Sports

“The purpose of the letter is to try and provoke discussion,” continued Clarke. “It’s not necessarily a discussion between us and the authorities, but a discussion between everyone and the authorities to see if there is a way we can improve the game.

“That’s my understanding of the basis of the letter — it’s no more than that. If there is technology that can be used to help referees make difficult decisions, which is what they have to do, then let’s look at it and see what we can come up with.

“If we can improve it, good. If we can’t improve it then we’ll stick with what we’ve got, but let’s talk about it.”

West Brom next face a West Midlands derby against Aston Villa on Monday.

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5 Comments
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    Mute I love my County
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    Nov 20th 2013, 11:12 AM

    What an absolute joke of a sport!
    Would they not be better off having retired, experienced refs like Mike Reilly up in the stand advising refs in live play as a TMO does in Rugby rather than sending letters of apology??

    Ref should simply stop play or wait for the ball to go dead, asks Mike Reilly up stairs to double check the pen claims, yes or no from upstairs and that’s the official call!!

    Give each team captain 3 calls/game be it offsides, handball, any type of foul really!!

    If players run to ref screaming and shouting about a decision he makes before the captain asks him to review, then they automatically lose the right to review that particular incident due to indiscipline.

    It’s as simple as that!

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    Mute alan smith
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    Nov 20th 2013, 10:53 AM

    What’s a spotter

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    Mute Breaking Good
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    Nov 20th 2013, 10:01 AM

    Clear foul on ivanovic for west brom’s 2nd goal that day so it evens itself out!
    What does pauljohnson think?

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    Mute Alex Olsen
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    Nov 20th 2013, 5:14 PM

    Maybe Ramires should have called Mike Riley to apologies for trying to con/cheat him…

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    Mute Robert Melia
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    Nov 20th 2013, 5:22 PM

    I keep hearing bad decisions add to the unpredictability of the sport when in fact they are the depressing constant.

    The margins between success and failure are so small nowadays and the monetary punishment so severe that its unjust to have your clubs future be dictated by the poor decisions of an incompetent referee.

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