"Howard, congratulations."

Having the opportunity to work with Webber again, Jack was in a good mood. These days he has been working with Phil Dodd as an assistant referee in League Two. Although the idea is different, Jack is just an assistant referee. Jack just needs to do his job, so working with Phil Dodd is still relatively pleasant.

Phil Dodd also understands that Jack thinks differently than he does. This can be known from the relationship between Jack and Atkinson. Jack knew that Atkinson and Phil Dodd had a good relationship, but Jack still had a good relationship with Atkinson. But Phil Dodd doesn't care, as long as he can work with Jack, and Jack is absolutely top as an assistant referee. Phil Dodd was never left to worry about it, and Phil Dodd was willing to continue working with Jack for this alone.

However, no matter how much he cooperates with Phil Dodd, he can't compare to his friendship with Weber. Webber was a very good referee and didn't have many opportunities to enforce at the start of the season.

But he insisted on starting from the League C and conquered the refereeing committee again in just half a season. His impressive performances in League C have earned him the chance to officiate the League Cup.

"Jack, this time you're my first assistant referee. There is more pressure to face. ”

"I'm mentally prepared."

Webb himself enjoyed working with Jack. Webb's ability to rise in such a straight line now has absolutely nothing to do with the original Anglo-African promotion play-off final. Therefore, he trusts Jack very much.

Webb officiated the League Cup this time, and the first thing that came to mind was Jack. And Webber made Jack the first assistant referee this time, which is the first time that Jack has become the first assistant referee since he was an assistant referee for more than a year.

"Hello Judge Marriner."

"Hello, Jack."

Jack was the first assistant referee for the game, while Brett Vaughn was the second assistant referee. In October 1996, the FA promoted nine assistant referees to the Football League. Four were transferred from the Northern League, three from the Southern League, one person was transferred directly from the Regional League, and the last one was a lecturer. The FA's referee instructor has also been turned assistant referee for the football league.

And there's Clattenberg and there's Brett Vaughn. Brett Vaughn became an assistant referee in the soccer league. But fortunately, he is senior enough that he is not ostracized like Jack.

He also became Webb's assistant referee in this game, but he was the second assistant referee. Originally, according to his qualifications, he should have been the first assistant referee. However, he himself has a good personality and does not bother with Jack about this.

The fourth referee of the match was Andre Marriner. This person is very famous in the English C League, because this person is a famous "red card maniac" in the English C League.

There is a red card almost every three games, and he is known as the "red card maniac" of the English League C. The yellow cards he showed were not a lot, but the direct red cards were the most in League C.

"Jack, pay more attention to this game. Blackburn are not in good shape at the moment and their head coach is on the verge of being sacked. If the game doesn't go well, he'll put you under a lot of pressure. You have to be calm. ”

The more high-level the game, the more the referee has to do a good job before the game. It's important to understand the team's problems, but also to understand the team's style of play. It's even about understanding the coach's style.

Only by doing everything well can you really be a good referee. Although this match is just a simple League Cup, it is already a knockout round of 16 in the League Cup. Blackburn Rovers host Swindon FC.

Blackburn are a Premier League club. Neither Webb nor Jack, nor Brett Vaughn and Andre Marriner have ever officiated against a Premier League club. Therefore, having a Premier League club in the Carabao Cup this time is a huge asset for all four.

But again, since there are Premier League clubs, there will be a lot of pressure. This is true for all four.

"I understand, Howard."

"But don't put up with everything. We don't have enough qualifications and sometimes we have to be tough to get the game going. ”

Jack smiled and nodded. It's true that Webb or Jack are all too poorly qualified. Maybe you can't stop those Premier League stars. When the time comes, they can only be suppressed by strong means.

…………

28 November 1996, Ewood Park.

The stadium, which can accommodate more than 31,000 people, has more than 27,000 fans today. A Premier League team is a Premier League team, and the pattern is different. When has Jack seen so many fans in League Two other than the crazy Millwall fans.

And what made Jack even more pressured was that Jack, as the first assistant referee, was on the bench side of the game. The benches on both sides were in front of him, and with the pressure exerted by the fans behind him, Jack also felt that the referee was not easy.

The first assistant referee, for Jack's first time.

Then look at the players on Blackburn's side, all of them are Premier League stars. Sherwood, Gallaher, Stuart Ripley, Stephen Hendry, Chris Sutton, Henning Berg and Flores are all stars from Blackburn's Premier League title era a year ago. In the more than a year that Jack has been a referee, it is the first time he has seen so many stars.

The east wind overwhelms the west wind.

It's the same everywhere. It's like a coach can suppress the dressing room, he can suppress the young players. The same superstars can stand up to the head coach and even decide whether the head coach goes or stays.

The same is true on the field. If it's a well-known referee, then you can suppress some coaches and players. But if it is some very tender referees, when facing famous coaches and superstars, they lack confidence and are easy to be suppressed by them.

It's like the current manager of Manchester United, Alex Ferguson. The current Premier League No. 1 coach has a lot of headaches for many of the famous whistles, and some young referees are even more nervous about him. That's the difference in momentum.

The referee team, including Weber, is relatively young. Facing these Premier League stars, they are all under a lot of pressure.

"The League Cup last-16 knockout rounds are just around the corner. Blackburn Rovers host Swindon FC. Blackburn are in a bad situation right now, having performed poorly in the Premier League and are still hovering in the relegation zone. ”

The League Cup is the least expensive cup competition in the Premier League. But for Blackburn Rovers now, the Carabao Cup is like a lifeline. Blackburn Rovers have been so poor this season that they will be hoping to boost the team with a Carabao Cup victory.

In order to comfortably beat Swindon Town FC in League Two, Blackburn Rovers were the main force. Blackburn's performance in the Premier League is average, but it is not a star and a half compared to the Swindon club.

"Sherwood, Sherwood pass! Gallaher, shoot! ”

"Ransomware, Ransomware is fast. Lesaux crosses...... Chris Sutton, header! ”

'Hendry played a long ball and Stuart Ripley got the ball. Ripley, passing...... Gallaher, shoot! ”

Blackburn came up and gave Swindon a beating. Sherwood was brilliant in midfield. And the Premier League team is the Premier League team, and it is already far more than the players in League Two in terms of basic skills.

Fouls are also completely different from League Two. A lot of fouls in League Two are due to a lack of fundamentals, not because they really want to foul. Because the technical action is not up to par, there will be various fouls. But Blackburn's foul is much smarter.

"Sherwood, Sherwood has the ball. David Smith, tackle! ”

Sherwood is a very technical midfielder and is one of the best players in the Premier League. Against Swindon's players, the technique is even better. Swindon's players struggled to get the ball from his feet.

However, players in the lower leagues, don't look at their skills, but they are very good at using their bodies. Seeing that he couldn't get the ball in the usual way, David Smith of Swindon FC made a direct sliding tackle.

"Foul, foul."

Sherwood fell into a fit of rage and shouted a foul on the ground. But Webb raised his arms forward and waved them forward in quick succession, telling Swindon's players to continue.

David Smith tackled Sherwood, but in Webb's opinion, it was the first tackle. Not only that, but David Smith didn't show the soles of his shoes, so Webb signaled that the game could continue.

"David Smith, pass...... Easton, this is a counterattack. Easton, Easton, shoot! ”

Before the whole Blackburn players could react, Swindon counter-attacked. In a few clicks, Swindon striker Easton had already entered the box and fired a shot at goal.

"One-to-zero, one-to-zero."

"Blackburn was so unlucky. In the Premier League, they can only be ranked in the relegation zone, but they did not expect to be behind in the League Cup against Swindon FC. ”