Referee Lewis Smith steps into PL

[ClaretTony]

Started last season in the National League but then

1st League Two game - 12/11/22 - Grimsby v Doncaster
1st League One game - 26/12/22 - MK v Forest Green
1st Championship game - 08/05/23 - Watford v Stoke

This season 6 Championship games, 7 League One games, 10 League Two games

This weekend he's got Fulham v Aston Villa in the Premier League, the sixth non select group referee to get a Premier League game this season, the others being Sam Allison, Sam Barrott, Bobby Madley, Josh Smith and Rebecca Welch.

[ClaretsPadiham]

Recipe for disaster, how’s he got such a jump so quick ?

Is it one of the ‘it’s who you know, what not you know’ ?

Might have a bet on some players to be booked in that game with an inexperienced referee.

[TheFamilyCat]

Recipe for disaster, how’s he got such a jump so quick ?

Is it one of the ‘it’s who you know, what not you know’ ?

Might have a bet on some players to be booked in that game with an inexperienced referee.

It's possible, though unlikely, that he’s a really, really good ref.

[ClaretTony]

Recipe for disaster, how’s he got such a jump so quick ?

Is it one of the ‘it’s who you know, what not you know’ ?

Might have a bet on some players to be booked in that game with an inexperienced referee.

The same has happened with Barrott at 30 and he’s done well. Maybe PGMOL are realising the current select group is just not good enough.

[bobinho]

Whilst not wishing to hijack, the name Rebecca Welch reminded me…. Did she get another game in the PL after the Fulham game?

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Yes She was Referee at the Bournemouth v Forest game

[AlargeClaret]

Why is the ref jumping to the prem with only lower league experience? Refs have to have a pretty “ hard yards” route generally to get to prem level . Or has he been earmarked as a real young high flyer ??

[DAVETHEVICAR]

In “Rate the Ref “ the leaders - whilst only having one or two games - have all made a good start- so perhaps the new younger referees are worth giving a run .
Tony above has made an excellent comment saying that perhaps the PGMOL have realised that the current crop are not good enough

[dsr]

Whilst not wishing to hijack, the name Rebecca Welch reminded me…. Did she get another game in the PL after the Fulham game?

Bournemouth tried to make out she had a shocker because she sent off Billing for kicking a Forest player. Some of them believed that if you kick someone because he is trying to start an attack, it's more lenient rules than if you kick him for other reasons.

[Goliath]

Tbf if youre doing well at the lower level then you should be able to ref at the same standard at a higher level. Its not like players where they have to play against better opposition.

The big difference is the quicker players especially on the break but thats couter acted by fewer long balls so it shouldnt make a huge difference. The only issue could be the extra pressure getting to them but they will only find that out by reffing at a higher level so why not?

[Foshiznik]

The referees with only a couple years in the lower league can't be any worse than the current 'elite' group who've probably felt untouchable for the last 3/4 years.

[aclaretinstevenage]

The referees with only a couple years in the lower league can't be any worse than the current 'elite' group who've probably felt untouchable for the last 3/4 years.

Trust me! watching League One games with Stevenage this year, they really can be "a whole lot worse".

[FCBurnley]

I thought Rebecca Welsh was excellent in both games she reffed

[DAVETHEVICAR]

Am sure there are lots of poor referees in the lower leagues
However the few that have been promoted will not be among those

[ŽižkovClaret]

If they are good enough why not move them up quickly? I just wish the blatantly crap ones got bombed down the tiers anywhere near as quickly.

It remains a mystery to me why they insist on current refs being in the VAR booth when surely they could have the cream of the crop of retired refs from around europe.

[claretburns]

Why is the ref jumping to the prem with only lower league experience?

To be fair, all refs will only have lower league experience until they're given the top league opportunities.