Premier League referee Mark Halsey has been dropped from officiating any games this weekend following his failure to dismiss Wigan midfielder Callum McManaman forhis wild tackle on Newcastle’s Massadio Haidara on Mar. 17. Halsey, 51, told the Football Association that his view of the incident was blocked by a Newcastle player but hewould have dismissed the 21-year-old had he had a clear view of it.
Meanwhile, The Guardian claims that the only reason McManaman was not retroactively banned for the violentchallenge was that assistant Matthew Wilkes had informed the FA that he witnessed “a coming together” of the players. This assessment prevented the FA from taking furtheraction.
Newcastle has since labeled the FA’s disciplinary process “not fit for purpose,” demanding a change in the rule that saw McManaman escape any sanction.
He is now too old for the BPL, and his AR is lame as well. Any competent ref would have caught that.