Graham Poll - Tring, Hertfordshire
Graham Poll was a mere whipper-snapper when he joined the Premier League list, back in 1993.
The previously self-employed sales consultant began refereeing in 1980, joining the football league list in 1991 and gaining FIFA approval in 1996. His career highlights include the 1998 Charity Shield and 2000/01's FA Cup final. When the F.A. introduced "professional" referees Poll was a founder member.
Having been made an official FIFA referee, Poll has been in charge of Euro 2000 matches, officiated between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the Champions League final of the same year and for games in the 2002 World Cup in Korea/Japan.
Remembered by Fulham fans last season for his poor performance in Fulham's 3-2 victory over Liverpool. He was also heavily criticised by Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock after an incident in last season's FA Cup semi-final. Warnock blamed Poll for the Blades' defeat, because the official refused to stop play when a United player was down. Seconds later, Arsenal scored the deciding goal.
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Referee Stats - 2003/2004
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Ref Poll's has whistled in step with the average Ref in the last three seasons. In relation to yellow cards however he has had a turn for the worse as he is dishing out over 30% more yellows this season than last season.
This makes him the 6th busiest Ref in the Premiership.
He is a little overdue for a red so watch out on Saturday. |
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Mr. Poll's |
Av Premiership Ref |
|
Total |
Match Avg |
Total |
Match Avg |
| Games |
14 |
|
9 |
|
| Fouls |
364 |
26.00 |
237 |
26.33 |
| Yellows |
51 |
3.64 |
30 |
3.29 |
| Reds |
0 |
0.00 |
2 |
0.18 |
| Penalties |
1 |
0.07 |
1 |
0.16 |
| Fouls per Yellow |
- |
7.14 |
- |
8.01 |
|
| Homer? (2003-2004) |
| Total |
Home |
Away |
Total |
| Games |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
Fouls |
Yellow |
Red |
| 14 |
189 |
24 |
0 |
175 |
27 |
0 |
364 |
51 |
0 |
| |
52% |
47% |
0% |
48% |
53% |
0% |
- |
- |
- |
| Premiership Average |
| 9 |
49% |
44% |
39% |
51% |
56% |
61% |
237 |
30 |
2 |
|
It would appear that Ref Poll is quite even handed in how he spreads his yellow cards around evidenced by the slight bias in favour of the home squad.
In the last game we played against one of the worse homers in the Premiership now
this week when we could use him he goes somewhere else. |
Fulham related comments
2003/2004
16-08-2003
Premier Fulham
3-2 Middlesborough 2y
Bookings: Legwinski (Fulham) Southgate (Middlesbro)
A penalty, saved by van der Sar, was given for a ball on hand that otherRef's may have ignored. A blatent second yellow for Southgate was overlooked when he pulled Malbranque down. As Malbranque went down on the edge of the box and there was no free kick for Fulham there should have been a card for Malbranque.
2002/2003
07-04-2003 Premier Fulham
0-4 Blackburn 3y 0r
Bookings: Neill, Short, Tugay (Blackburn)
Mr Poll's performance was of no interest to Fulham fans as this was the first game after Jean Tigana got canned.
16-02-2003 FA Cup Fulham
1-1 Burnley 1y 0r
Bookings: West (Burnley)
Sean Davis had claims for a penalty soon after, teaming up with Malbranque for a neat one-two and going down under Graham Branch's challenge in the area Referee Poll, much to the derision of the home support, ignored the claims and awarded a free-kick to the Clarets.
Poll continued to officiate in a onesided fashion in favour of Burnley indulging their crude physicality as if they were children playing grown-ups
23-11-2002 Premiership - Fulham
3-2 Liverpool 3y 1r
Bookings: Brevett , Goma (sent off 70 for second yellow) (Fulham) Traore (Liverpool)
Poll reffed the Fulham v Liverpool game, 23/11/02, which Fulham won 3-2 despite Poll consistently giving decisions against Fulham and failing to punish Liverpool players in similar situations. Liverpools first goal came from a free kick given for shirt tugging by Finnan on a Liverpool player uninvolved in an attack that Van der Sar made a save on. Poll called the play back to outside our area and gave a freekick from which Liverpool scored. Liverpool's second goal came from Baros after he poleaxed Rufus in the area and Poll extraordinarily failed to spot the event even though everyone else saw it. To finish off his unhelpful performance Poll sent Goma off in the 70th minute for a second yellow.
2001/2002
14-04-2002 FA Cup - Fulham
0-1 Chelsea 4y 0r
Bookings: Boa Morte, Finnan (Fulham) Ferrer, Gronkjaer (Chelsea)
02-12-2001 Premiership - Fulham
0-0 Leeds 3y 0r
Bookings: Legwinski (Fulham) Seth Johnson, Smith (Leeds)
30-09-2001 Premiership - Fulham
1-1 Chelsea 5y 1r
Bookings: Sean Davis (Fulham) Desailly, Gallas, Jokanovic (sent off 81 for second yellow), Terry (Chelsea)
2000/2001
Not seen by Fulham