Steve Bennett, Orpington,
Kent.
Steve Bennett spent five seasons refereeing in the Nationwide before making the step up to the big time, but made a name for himself as a linesman - joining the league list back in 1992.
Bennett has now been elevated to the hallowed ranks of the FIFA list. He hit the headlines in his first game in 2003/04, sending off Francis Jeffers in a bad-tempered Community Shield match between Arsenal and Manchester United. When he was called to officiate in their next league meeting at Old Trafford, eyebrows were raised, and he was again caught up in the controversy after sending off Patrick Vieira, which incited an infamous near-riot.
In 2004 he got into trouble with FIFA for giving a second yellow to an Everton player for keeping his shirt on but lifting it over his head.
Ref Bennett has officiated at 16 Fulham Premiership games in which Fulham have gained just
three victories, five draws and eight defeats. However one of the wins was a 1-0 win against Liverpool
back in May 2007 so that must be worth at least 3 wins.
There have been 53 yellow cards issued in the 16 games, 28 to Fulham players,
leaving 25 for opposition players. Of the 5 reds issued in the 16 games 3 were
given to Fulham players. Last season of his 11 yellows in 4 Fulham games 7 went
to Fulham players and his only red went to a Fulham player. So he loves Fulham
then.
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Referee Stats - 2008/2009
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Ref Bennett continues to be one of the busier yellowcard issuer in the Premiership
and this season he is managing whistle close to personal best levels.
However his red card and penalty decisions are running at career
low figures
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Mr. Bennett's |
Av Premiership Ref |
|
Total |
Match Avg |
Pos |
Total |
Match Avg |
| Games |
21 |
|
|
17 |
|
| Fouls |
481 |
22.9 |
12th |
39*2 |
23.6 |
| Yellows |
75 |
3.6 |
4th |
54 |
3.3 |
| Reds |
0 |
0.0 |
16th |
3 |
0.2 |
| Penalties |
2 |
0.1 |
13th |
3 |
0.2 |
| Fouls per Yellow |
- |
6.4 |
3rd |
- |
7.2 | |
| Homer? (2008-2009) |
| Total |
Home |
Away |
Total |
| Games |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
Pen |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
Pen |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
Pen |
|
21 |
229 |
30 |
0 |
1 |
252 |
45 |
0 |
1 |
481 |
75 |
0 |
2 |
| |
40% |
40% |
0% |
50% |
52% |
60% |
0% |
50% |
|
|
|
|
| Premiership Average |
|
17 |
48% |
43% |
42% |
71% |
52% |
57% |
58% |
295% |
392 |
54 |
3 |
3 | |
After 21 games this season Ref Bennett is showing out as one of the more anti-home ref's in the Premiership.
Just what we need on Saturday.
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Previous Fulham games what was refed by Steve Bennett
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16-03-2008 Premier Fulham
1-0
Everton 1y 0r
Bookings: Murphy (Fulham)
Peace and quiet on the ref front |
08-12-2007 Premier Everton 3-0 Fulham 2y 0r
Bookings: Kamara, Omozusi (Fulham)
The then Fulham manager, Lawrie Sanchez, claimed that the first Everton goal was offside and that had lifted The Blues enough to put another two past the Fulham defence. The goal was also quoted as another poor referee decision against Fulham. |
26-09-2007 League Cup Fulham 1-2 Bolton 5y 0r
Bookings: Baird, Murphy (Fulham) Cid, Davies, McCann (Bolton)
There was controversy in the 97th minute when Kamara latched on to a Healy shot to poke the ball over the line only for the referee to disallow it. Replays conclusively showed the Senegal striker was onside. |
25-08-2007 Premier Aston Villa2-1
Fulham 3y 1r
Bookings: Bouma (Aston Villa) Baird (sent off 68), Kamara (Fulham)
This was a busy game for Ref Bennett, he got told off by the Villa boss,
who he then banished to the stands, he refused Fulham a clear penalty when the Cottagers
were 1-0 up and then went on to give Baird two yellow cards which saw the Fulham
player walk at 68 mins. |
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05-05-2007 Premier Fulham 1-0 Liverpool 4y 1r
Bookings: Brown, Diop (Diop sent off 90 for second yellow[foul]),(Fulham) Arbeloa, Fowler (Liverpool)
Wonders will never cease not
only did Mr Bennett miss Brown's headbutt during the game, he waited until
the 90 min to send off Diop and officiated at a status clinching
Fulham victory. |
09-04-2007 Premier Fulham 1-3 Man City 4y 0r
Bookings: Bocanegra (Fulham) Barton, Beasley, Vassell
(Man City) |
01-01-2007 Premier Fulham 0-0 Watford 3y 1r
Bookings: Radzinski (Fulham) Priskin, (sent off 90 -2nd yel), Young (Watford)
Helguson had two goals disallowed for offside one of
which was definately a goal. |
02-12-2006 Premier Blackburn 2-0 Fulham 4y 0r
Bookings: Henchoz, Savage (Blackburn) Diop, Helguson
(Fulham) |
11-11-2006 Premier Portsmouth 1-1 Fulham 3y 0r
Bookings: Knight, Niemi, Queudrue (Fulham)
Mr Bennett refused Pompy a penalty and refused Fulham's claims to disallow the
Pompey goal by the then Fulham Andrew Cole. |
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03-12-2005 Premier West Brom
0-0Fulham 4y 1r
Bookings: Watson (West Brom) Boa Morte (sent off 45 for 2nd yellow),Diop, McBride (Fulham)
Dispite Mr Bennett's homer
instincts Fulham took a deserved away point. |
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30-04-2005 Premier Fulham 2-0 Everton 4y 1r
Bookings: Diop(sent off 76 for 2nd yellow) (Fulham) Arteta, McFadden, Pistone (Everton)
The two yellow cards for Diop were excessive and for
them to result in a red card was ludicrous. |
05-03-2005 Premier Fulham 0-0 Charlton 5y 0r
Bookings: Boa Morte, Cole, Goma (Fulham) El
Karkouri, Kishishev (Charlton) |
20-12-2004 Premier Charlton 2-1 Fulham 3y 0r
Bookings: Kishishev
(Charlton) Diop, Rosenior (Fulham) |
16-10-2004 Premier Fulham 2-4 Liverpool 4y 1r
Bookings: Green (Fulham)
Josemi(sent off 77 for 2nd yellow), Luis Garcia, Traore (Liverpool) |
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17-04-2004
Premiership Liverpool 0-0 Fulham 3y 0r
Bookings: Bocanegra, Goma, John (Fulham)
Steve Bennett whistled for 16
Liverpool fouls and did not follow-up with a single yellow card. He
whistled for 10 Fulham fouls and followed up with three yellow cards.
Bennett also helped Liverpool by giving them a dubious penalty which van
der Sar saved. Sounds fair. |
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22-03-2003 Premiership Man Utd 3-0 Fulham 3y 0r
Bookings: Ferdinand, Gary
Neville (Man Utd) Melville (Fulham) |
29-01-2003 Premiership Man City 4-1 Fulham 4y 0r
Bookings: Foe, Jensen,
Sommeil (Man City) Boa Morte (Fulham) |
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26-12-2001 Premiership Fulham 0-0 Charlton 3y 0r
Bookings: Boa Morte, Hayles (Fulham) Parker (Charlton)
Steve Bennett booked
Luis Boa Morte for diving, a decision greeted with apoplexy throughout the
ground. Graham Stuart's tackle looked solid enough to fell a grizzly. "He
is a victim in this circumstance," said Fulham's assistant manager
Christian Damiano "You only need look at the television replay." Which did
indeed support Damiano's argument. |
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04-11-2000 Division 1 Fulham 3-0 Huddersfield 6y 1r
Bookings: Fernandes, Saha
(Fulham) Jenkins, Kozluk, Lucketti, Sellars (sent off 69, 2nd
yellow)(Huddersfield) |