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Michael Oโ€™Connor has called for more ex-players to go into refereeing after Notts County were knocked out of the League Two playoffs against Coventry City.

In the first leg at the Ricoh Arena, Matt Tootle was wrongly penalised for a foul on Tom Bayliss which saw Marc McNulty score a late penalty to earn Coventry a 1-1 draw.

And in the return leg at Meadow Lane, Jonathan Forte saw an equaliser wrongly chalked off for offside when the score was 2-1, while Maxime Biamou's third Sky Blues goal was offside.

โ€œForte was two yards onside, and there were two offsides for their third goal,โ€ Notts captain O'Connor told the Nottingham Post.

โ€œIf the goal stands and itโ€™s 2-2, they were gone. They were shot and I think we would have won the game.

โ€œItโ€™s easy looking back now saying this and that, but look at the penalty decision in the first game.

โ€œItโ€™s never a penalty. Thatโ€™s three big decisions over two legs in a play-off semi-final.

โ€œThatโ€™s not good enough. These are meant to be the best referees in the league.

โ€œItโ€™s hard being a referee, I get that. But peopleโ€™s livelihoods are at stake.

โ€œDo I think the scrutiny on the decision will make a difference next season? No.

โ€œA lot of referees havenโ€™t played the game before and thatโ€™s why more players at the end of their careers should officiate. They know the game better.โ€

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magpiejue

Members

100% agree with Michael O' Connor. He's spot on with his comments on referees. COYP

Magic magpie

Members

Totally agree great read @Joe Jonesย after the last season I think new refs and refs regulations should made. But they wonโ€™t allow ex players in case they take bribesย etc which is bloody stupied. Not everyone is like that some ex players ย want to improve the game. Needs sorting and ex players allowed to ref professionallyย 

allardyces tash

Members

Ex players should but even this wouldn't improve the overall standing of how poor officials can be, this needs to be learned and it had to be started from the training given.

Magic magpie

Members

@allardyces tashย I had to agree with your point made I terms of training itโ€™s very much needed the efl need to get rid of refs that canโ€™t do the job. But ex professionals I think could do a slightly better job.ย 

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