Source: FOOTYMAD
Webster kicks it all off
Tomorrow the season gets underway against Nottingham Forest and the first whistle at Turf Moor will be blown by Tyne & Wear referee Colin Webster whose last appearance at Turf Moor was for the FA Cup tie against QPR. Gone are the likes of Webb, Dowd and Foy as we return to Football League action, indeed, despite there being no Premier League football this weekend, none of the select group officials are involved in the opening day of the Football League season.Webster has taken charge of Burnley games on numerous occasions in the past and we've seen four red cards in those games. The first of them was Barnsley's Chris Morgan back in 2001, during his first season as a Football League referee, but since they have all been Burnley players. I don't think anyone could argue with the dismissals of Arthur Gnohere (v Bradford City) and Frank SInclair (v Leeds) although the red card to Andy Gray was considered harsh in our game at Sheffield Wednesday back in August 2006. Interestingly, all four red cards came in games against Yorkshire clubs so we should be OK tomorrow.I once said he wasn't the best referee and that likewise he is a long way from being the worst. We've never had any real problems with him and he isn't a referee that will try to grab the limelight.Last season, in 29 games, there were just 66 yellow cards from him along with four red cards.Two of those red cards were in Championship games. He sent off Scunthorpe goalkeeper Joe Murphy in their 4-1 defeat at Blackpool, just after Blackpool had equalised, and former Burnley target Barry Robson on his home debut for Middlesbrough as they drew 0-0 with Bristol City.Webster ended last season at Wembley. He took charge of Millwall's 1-0 play off win against Swindon. There was just one yellow card in that game, Swindon's Lescinal Jean-Francois.His assistant referees tomorrow are Peter Davies (Cheshire) and Peter Graham (Manchester). The fourth official is P Hodskinson (Manchester). Previous Burnley games:SeasonOppsVResYRBurnley players cardeda2000/01Barnsleyh2-171Cox Johnson I Moore2001/02Creweh3-320I Moore2001/02Gillinghamh2-000.2002/03Blackpoolh3-030A Moore Blake2002/03Bradford Cityh0-241Davis Gnohere(Y/R)2004/05Wolvesh1-150Camara Grant2004/05Leedsh0-131Cahill Sinclair(Y/R)2005/06Crewea1-250Hyde McGreal Thomas2005/06Sheffield Utda0-300.2005/06Norwichh2-010.2006/07Sheffield Weda1-131Gray(Y/R) McCann2006/07Prestona0-280Branch Duff Elliott Harley McCann2007/08Ipswichh2-230Jordan Mahon2007/08Barnsleyh2-120.2008/09Cardiffh2-220Gudjonsson2008/09QPRh2-130Caldwell
