Kevin Nolan: 'All match officials should be full-time professionals'

Kevin Nolan has urged the authorities to look into making all match officials professional following the officiating performance in Notts County's 2-2 draw with Accrington Stanley.

Both the Magpies manager and opposite number John Coleman were left confused by some of the decisions made by ref Carl Boyeson and his assistants in Friday night's League Two fixture at Meadow Lane.

Referring to Sean McConville's kick on Dan Jones, which the fourth official missed, Nolan suggested that there needs to be more of a level playing field in terms of the whole ensemble's fitness and wavelength.

“I’ve turned and said to the fourth official that he’s got to help the ref there. They should be a team as officials,” Nolan told the Nottingham Post.

“He’s got to tell the ref that it was a deliberate kick. My lads might have reacted to that and suddenly it can all get out of hand.

“He got away with one. Even their assistant manager is shouting to the lad ‘Sean, calm down, relax, don’t do stupid things’.

“I feel sorry for ref there. It’s a tough job. These lads are professional athletes, as fit as anything. Referees struggle quite a lot I feel. They need help.

“We have to send in a report week in, week out after each game. I wonder if it’s worth doing.

“I don’t know if they can all go professional. We need a lot more of them to be full time. I don’t know whether it can be funded, but they need help.”

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