The Football Association is to undertake an extraordinary disciplinary procedure after charging a referee with misconduct. Darren Drysdale has apologised for his behaviour after he locked heads with Ipswich’s Alan Judge when the player contested a decision not to award a penalty in the 0-0 draw with Northampton on Tuesday.
The 49-year-old official has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3, with allegations that his behaviour amounted to improper conduct. He has until 4 March to respond.
Whatever Drysdale’s response his conduct will have to be considered by a disciplinary commission and the possibilities for punishments if he is found guilty are limited to match suspension and fines. It is understood there are few if any precedents for a referee breaking misconduct rules.
The incident occurred in the 90th minute after Judge went to ground in the box. The midfielder then walked towards Drysdale apparently angry with the official and the two men faced up to each other before being separated by players. Drysdale then booked Judge for simulation.
“I fully understand it is important for us as referees to maintain our composure throughout the game and always engage with players in a professional manner,” Drysdale said in a statement. “I’m sorry that I did not do that last night and I can only apologise to Alan and Ipswich Town.”
Referee Darren Drysdale appeared to square up to Alan Judge before booking the Ipswich player in their goalless draw against Northampton this evening. pic.twitter.com/ZexMTxYIx7
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 16, 2021
This came on the day the FA announced new training and support for referees and revealed there had been 77 instances of physical assault of officials in grassroots football during the truncated 2019-20 season.
The governing body hopes to adjust the rules for next season to mean there would be no upper limit on punishments for assaulting referees, a tariff capped at 10 years. Any player found guilty would have to apply to return to the game after their suspension.
The FA’s director of professional game relations, Andy Ambler, said “nobody in the professional game really understands” the demands on referees and called for referee training to be made available to non-officials, including players in academies.
