Fourth Dimension!

Just heard on the grapevine that fourth officials are to introduced at Irish league games, from now to Christmas they will officiate at just 4 matches per week at first, but after Christmas there will be a fourth official at all Premier league games. How will this benefit the teams I wonder? Will they be responsible for what time is added on at the end of the game as witnessed at higher level games? Or will their duties mainly entail ensuring that coaching staff of respective teams don’t stray out of their own area? I personally can see little benefit in this new initiative, although it might eliminate the farcical situation that occurred last week at the Oval, when the referee failed to add any stoppage time after 90 minutes, despite all six subs being used in the second half. Or could they give the referee a bit of advice before they make any silly decisions, as with the sending off of Gordon Simms at the Oval last Saturday. According to referee Adrian McCourt, Simms received a straight red card, as in his opinion he was the last defender. Television pictures clearly showed that United Captain Albert Watson was behind Simms, even though it was debatable as to whether he could’ve got across to tackle Glen’s player Darren Lockhart, before he shot for goal. Big Gordon’s tackle was, as United manager Tommy Wright correctly pointed out, ‘clumsy’ rather than deliberate, but the referee was adamant that he had to go. The fact that the home team scored from the resultant free kick, only added ‘insult to injury’, in my opinion. Then as if to make matters worse he merely cautioned Darren Lockhart later in the game, when he ‘deliberately and maliciously’ scythed the legs from United’s Mark Picking after his misplaced pass had left the United winger with a clear run on goal. If the fourth official can help to eliminate some or most of these inconsistencies, then it’ll be for the good of the game, if not it will be just another wasted exercise!