Newcastle United will be able to welcome back Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett after the club successfully appealed the red cards shown to both players last Friday.
Shelvey and Dummett were both dismissed in the first half of Newcastle’s defeat at Nottingham Forest, with referee Steve Martin (no, not that one) awarding two penalties to the home side.
Goalkeeper Karl Darlow saved both of those spot-kicks, but a controversial equaliser and late own goal winner saw Forest claim all three points.
And, while Magpies fans were pleased to be able to welcome back the duo, there was a sense that the damage had already been done.
CONFIRMED: Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett's suspensions for Friday's red cards have been overturned. More at https://t.co/6wuhjKS0XX #NUFC pic.twitter.com/LW51zMtyOH
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 6, 2016
‘Both Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett have had their suspensions withdrawn with immediate effect after their wrongful dismissal claims were successful following an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing,’ a statement on Newcastle United’s website reads.
That means England international Shelvey and Welsh defender Dummett, who have played 23 and 19 games respectively this season, will be back in the fold for the visit of Birmingham City on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest’s Henri Lansbury was at the centre of both red card calls, and there have been calls for the former Arsenal man to face action.
oh and Lansbury goes unpunished.
— BlaydonRaces (@BlaydonRaces) December 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/jamiebunce1911/status/806189155470479360
https://twitter.com/D_0_M_/status/806189471335116804
But most of the complaints surrounded Martin, who has seen his time divided between EFL and non-league fixtures this season.
Newcastle Chronicle journalist Lee Ryder has suggested Martin will not be refereeing a game this weekend.
https://twitter.com/SugarGretel/status/806195287161180160
https://twitter.com/Tweet2mhe/status/806189608224641024
charge the shit ref!
— ToonBliss (@ToonBliss) December 6, 2016
This just about sums up the standard of refereeing in English football right now. Inept.
— Brian C (@BC65biglad) December 6, 2016
now sack that clown of a ref
— Richard Wearmouth (@RichardMWCA) December 6, 2016
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