Graham Scott @Refsplaining
Expert referee correspondent, @TheAthletic @TheAthleticFC Media professional | Management consultant | Former Premier League referee and VAR Oxford, UK Joined August 2025-
Tweets466
-
Followers3K
-
Following135
-
Likes349
🚨 NEW: Graham Scott | Life As A Premier League Referee, VAR & More He pulls back the curtain behind Premier League refereeing, clears up the common misconceptions, and explains the biggest challenges with the current referee culture. Watch now! 👉 youtu.be/1pmGLNF3wjw
Towards the end of the 2018 Carabao Cup final, Arsenal boss Arsène Wenger asked me as fourth official for more added time, despite being 3-0 down I assumed he meant another minute or two, but now realise he must have meant eight years Sorry, Arsène premierleague.com/en/news/472777…
Looking forward to this immensely, though I don’t know how it’ll work given you can’t talk to referees any more
Recording FOOTBALL CLICHES on Wednesday with @CDEccleshare, @D_C_W and our guest, former Premier League referee Graham Scott (@Refsplaining)... Let's have your suitably niche questions and refereeing clichés, and we'll explore the best of them with the ex-whistler. Cheers!
‘If you’re on the pitch, you’re interfering with play,’ some say
It's February 2001. Man City left back Danny Tiatto collects the ball in his own half, carries it into the Middlesbrough box and guides it into the net to give City the lead. This goal was disallowed. For offside. Seriously. And Barry Davies disagrees 🔊
@FootballCliches Are you being stood down until after the international break?
@Referee_Patrick That’s right but the split was 1-4/3-2 It’s not really valid anyway because the ref could hardly wave away the penalty but still send off the defender for DOGSO, if that makes sense
There were six incidents last season in which the KMI panel voted 5-0 that the ref’s decision was wrong but not a clear error worthy of VAR intervention Last season Arsenal won one (Rice handball v Chelsea) and lost one (Keane challenge on Havertz v Everton), both penalties
Premier League Key Match Incidents (KMI) Panel - Match Round 4 outcomes. premierleague.com/en/news/4725955
@Referee_Patrick Bournemouth not given penalty at home to Brentford (0-5/3-2) Sunderland penalty given at home to Bournemouth (0-5/4-1) Brentford not given penalty at Sunderland (0-5/3-2) Brentford goal disallowed at home to Aston Villa (0-5/4-1) All errors, but not clear and obvious for VAR
@J4ck_OC Much as I respect his work, he is only going off the information he is supplied. I was in the actual meetings
nytimes.com/athletic/76177… Why any talk of a handball offence (by Le Fee) is nonsense
𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙤𝙣 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙤𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡? — 𝙋𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝘼 Former Premier League referee Graham Scott (@refsplaining): I have absolutely no idea, sorry. The evidence is irrefutable that Anderson handled deliberately in his own penalty area, batting the ball away under pressure from Enzo Le Fee. A split second earlier, the ball also hit the hand of Le Fee, whose arm was raised and away from his body. But it was in a justifiable position given his actions and had deflected off his own shoulder, which would give him complete mitigation because the ball changed direction significantly. While an intervention might have been a hard sell given the ball struck both players’ hands, the VAR would have had the law on his side. 🔗 nyti.ms/3VowJo0
‘VAR works well in other countries’ Mind you, Mourinho never played, so what would he know?
Furious manager rails against refereeing body, arguing opponents Atletico avoided ‘two clear red cards’ while Dean Huijsen was dismissed 🔗 telegraph.co.uk/football/2026/…
@Lidds84 I’m surprised someone hasn’t actually suggested moving the goalposts. Everything else seems up for grabs 😂
It’s for the game to decide which offside law it wants But imagine trying to judge these decisions from the touchline, especially when the players are much further apart The law has to be possible to police at full speed in real time at all levels, not only games with VAR
Good example of how the old daylight offside rule would work: this, from Trabzonspor vs Galatasaray last night, would be onside
A neat example of why ‘all we want is consistency’ is only when it suits I agree with James @WelhamOfficial even if this may not be an example of the new rule being a problem
The rule of being off for a minute if you get treatment needs to be looked at. The referee has to have some authority to say he doesn’t need to go off if it obviously isn’t time wasting. Avblack eye and a nose bleed, he shouldn’t have to stay off.
@johnwalker_1986 Interesting, thanks John
Some good news for Premier League officials in a difficult week: they are ensuring we get to watch more football this season. With new laws this season on how long players take in a variety of game situations, we reveal that: ▪️ Substitutions are being conducted more quickly ▪️ Most teams are taking goal kicks, throws and corners faster ▪️ Overall restart times are down ▪️ Ball-in-play is up to 57.8 per cent ▪️ Plus what still needs to improve 📝 @Conor0Neill_ Free to read: bit.ly/479LopC
@stprogs I think this was my first match watching from the Town End. Terraced then, of course. A 4-0 win too
@andre_dcb @vitorsergio @refsneedlovetoo Can’t be sure but it’s probably offside by a few millimetres and every competition bar the Premier League that’s uses tech has no tolerance at all. In the PL it’s 5cm I hope that makes sense
Thomas Varnado @ThomasVarnado4
11 Followers 584 Following
Matt Jackson @MattJEJackson
2K Followers 171 Following Some law. Mainly nonsense. Occasionally gives people the finger ☝🏻. Bearded (and relentless) - @seanjoneskc
Aaron Jackson @AaronJackson89
14 Followers 543 Following They say when you die your whole life flashes in front of you, make it worth watching.
Global Club Bigness I... @ClubBigness
2 Followers 153 Following How big is your club? We'll put better evidence behind that debate, measuring club stature beyond trophies alone. Football's biggest clubs, ranked!
Luke @ConboyL
281 Followers 480 Following The Albion ⚽️ Broadcast Engineer 📺 @HoustonTexans 🏈 @LewisHamilton 🏎️
Phil Holah @PhilHolah
430 Followers 485 Following
Dean Preston @DeanPre22968287
68 Followers 378 Following Enquiries Team Leader, occasional financial adviser, Pompey season ticket holder. Proud Dad and Husband.
George Brindley @georgesbrindley
28 Followers 505 Following Law student and long-suffering Arsenal fan.
Hew Merrin @mightyplatypus2
17 Followers 2K Following
Chris @ChrisJames0805
217 Followers 2K Following
mohamed atta boy @ATFintern
2K Followers 1K Following ''Art, learning and love - those three faces of God.''
Deputy Gudo @sekuruG8
14 Followers 569 Following
Robert Dunn @redandwhiterob
635 Followers 3K Following Sunderland AFC supporter and massive music lover, The Jam, Weller, Oasis. Mostly tweeting about politics golf, snooker oh and backing football officials too
Mark @mark_kelly256
1K Followers 3K Following Loves Sport, Music, Modern History, Geography, STEM (particularly Chemistry), supporter of our wonderful NHS🇺🇦⚫️
Stefan @inceh17
244 Followers 1K Following I love eggs, I love crabs, I love boiling denim and banging whores. City Football Group loyal supporter. I work for a stuck porn pr company based in Porto
Will R @Will157_13
730 Followers 1K Following ⚽ #ReadingFC 🏁 F1 @ScuderiaFerrari, @Charles_Leclerc | @portsmouthuni 🟣 | Reading FC Writer for @VitalFootballUK |🌹
Jamie @JCollettCFC
4K Followers 3K Following
Tom Dempster @vivaledemps
198 Followers 2K Following Made in 🇬🇧, now living in 🇺🇸. Co-founder at True Boost Digital. #avfc fan.
Jordan Ciacci @ChiangRaiBeetle
14 Followers 275 Following
TRC @TRCCoaching
1 Followers 6 Following Performance Development for Everyone Supporting athletes across the UK. Former PGMOL Match Official Semi-active Match Official The Referee Coach
FPL_Tutor (James) @fpl_tutor
1K Followers 1K Following Up and coming FPL manager, back to back top 50K finishes, highest finish 20K, aiming for top 10K soon 👀 #fplcommunity #fpl DMs always open 📥 he/him
Greg Lever @GregLever_
4K Followers 2K Following
Tom Mack @Tom_Mackinnon
431 Followers 1K Following
Chris @ChrisDonald92
673 Followers 2K Following Marketing and Communications professional | Freelance Journalist | @HTAFCWomen reporter for @WeAreTerriersHT | Nerd | Views Own
James Leafe @leafey85
21 Followers 249 Following
Anthony Kelly @anthonykellyis
196 Followers 277 Following
the russ that couldn'... @steadyongromit
138 Followers 1K Following Son of two, husband of one, doctor of philosophy
isaac @isaacchurchh
629 Followers 1K Following
David Smith @DavidSm010321
1 Followers 759 Following
Tom Burnmore @TBurnard
200 Followers 904 Following
Gary Ekins @garyekins
206 Followers 493 Following Play with children, watch football, program computers and watch TV.
Dominic Wilson @DominicJwilson
270 Followers 993 Following 27, Massive Leeds United Fan. Luke Humphries is 🐐Mark lawrenson called me the oldest sounding 18 year old he’s ever heard ‘Sing me a lullaby, come on!!’
Tim Edwins @TimEdwins7
315 Followers 677 Following #Sport and #Politics! Secretary of the Kent Pétanque Association. Charlton Athletic fan! ⚽️🔴🟡
Dave Wilson @WimpyTweets
534 Followers 2K Following @ManCity, @lancscricket, @MiamiDolphins, Radio Geek & Wrestling Nerd. Sometimes heard talking on the 📻 🎙️⚽️
Jack Walker @Jack_Walker_36
11 Followers 357 Following
Ryan Morgan @RyanMorganMedia
1K Followers 2K Following Used to film rap battles. 🎬 Now Social Media Manager at @BristolCity. 🔴
Graham Oakley @gmostfc
493 Followers 681 Following
Dave Johnson @DaveJohnso9euc7
14 Followers 274 Following I'm Dave Johnson The Winner of $298,300,000 In a While I'm Giving Out $100,000 For my 100k followers
Old Swindon Programme... @stprogs
73 Followers 68 Following @ stprogssss reset up account. Old account was unfortunately hacked
The Classified Footba... @JAGresults
36K Followers 11K Following The home of the classified football results read by James Alexander Gordon, recreated using AI with permission from his family.
simonhill1894 @simonhill1894
31K Followers 2K Following Freelance ⚽️🎙 @LFPfr, @IMG @TalkSPORT @asiafootballgrp & more. Ex Channel 10, Fox Sports, SBS, BBC, ITV & others. Media: [email protected] Legacy Blue #CTID
Vince Rugari @VinceRugari
31K Followers 4K Following Sydney Morning Herald sports reporter | [email protected] | Author of Angeball: The definitive biography of Ange Postecoglou
Premier League Match ... @PLMatchCentre
378K Followers 2 Following The operational hub for all @premierleague matches. This account provides information directly from Match Centre, the VAR Hub and Pro Ref experts.
Jim Rosenthal @rosenthal_jim
12K Followers 335 Following
RefsJourney @RefsJourney
499 Followers 345 Following Enforcer of Laws, nicely. Actively trying to not ruin weekends | L5 | 4W | 🟨🟥 | #NoRefNoGame | @refsix enthusiast, 20% off in pinned post
Helen Lewis @helenlewis
148K Followers 5K Following staff writer, @theatlantic | contact me: [email protected]
Margaret Fleming @mgfleming12
3K Followers 810 Following Writing about the business of soccer & women's sports for Front Office Sports. Chicagoan in NYC. @NorthwesternU grad. ✉️: [email protected]
Adam Kay @amateuradam
192K Followers 2K Following BAFTA for best writer lol. Debut novel A PARTICULARLY NASTY CASE out now. https://t.co/gz53d8aS1A Profile pic by @getbentsaggy
Jeff Winter @WinterJeff
21K Followers 504 Following Former Premier League Referee. After Dinner Speaker.Supporter of Boro & Rangers https://t.co/0kHN5Bhv2V Ambassador at Stockton Town FC
Simon Kuper @KuperSimon
85K Followers 335 Following @FT writer. Now increasingly at @simonkuper.bsky.social. Latest books: World Cup Fever, and my memoir of modern Paris, Impossible City
Referee Retrospective @FortheR93378109
1K Followers 21 Following Pictures and profiles of past referees.
Liam Tharme @LiamTharmeCoach
11K Followers 556 Following Football Tactics Writer @TheAthleticFC ⚽️ / 2:47 Marathoner / MSc Sports Performance Analysis @chiuni / former @bhafc_academy @cufcgoalkeepers
TV Football 1968-92 @1968Tv
111K Followers 7 Following From The Big Match to Match Of The Day, from Brian Moore to David Coleman. BBC/ITV highlights/goals before Sky ruined the game. Football wasn’t invented in 1992
South Referee @RefereeSouth
765 Followers 50 Following ProRef match official. Always the man in the middle. Happy to discuss games and incidents with anyone willing to engage, educate and respect.
VAR Tribunal @VARTribunal
55 Followers 96 Following
80s&90sFootball ⚽ @80s90sfootball
44K Followers 3K Following 80s & 90s Goals, Matches, Players, Teams, Kits, A-Z's & Memories. Published football writer. @YBTAHOAB podcaster ⚽️
STFCMuseum @STFCMuseum
910 Followers 48 Following Official account of Swindon Town Football Club Museum, a registered charity (1201620) for more information visit https://t.co/Y4SlqIoRqP
Charlie Eccleshare @CDEccleshare
55K Followers 981 Following Senior tennis writer @TheAthleticFC. Previously Spurs correspondent. Football Cliches man, also seen/heard on Totally Football Show
Who's That Ref ? @Whosthatreferee
149 Followers 1K Following Referee Performance Insight for Premier League Fans | See how your team performs under this week’s referee | Powered by RPS.
Des Kelly @TheDesKelly
72K Followers 1K Following Broadcaster, Journalist, Editor, Columnist, Reporter, Event Host, Patron of GB Blind Football. Instagram: https://t.co/y07rh7r8zN…
Spencer Mossman @fc_mossman
26K Followers 955 Following trying to apply data to football intelligently; @beyond90ftbl; DM for inquiries
UndrTheCosh @UndrTheCosh
80K Followers 2K Following Podcast featuring, @browny159 , @parky08 and @ChrisJBrown_ Support the podcast: https://t.co/ekqtMVKt8m Commercial Enquiries: [email protected]
TownEnders.com @TownEndersSTFC
4K Followers 779 Following Unofficial online history of Swindon Town Football Club - formerly https://t.co/MY6ZPYNLyQ. #STFC.
Jan Aage Fjørtoft �... @JanAageFjortoft
344K Followers 3K Following Retired footballer/ Team Manager. Media (Viaplay/ESPN).Adviser Sport/Business/Politics. Host/Moderator (to hire). «The Fussball Channel»(YouTube/Podcast) - Duke
James Maw @JamesTMaw
26K Followers 1K Following Commissioning editor @TheAthleticFC, 'awful opinions' on @VFTLpodcast, medium-term suffering @KingstonianFC fan
Jack Pitt-Brooke @JackPittBrooke
88K Followers 5K Following Spurs and England @TheAthleticFC @VFTLpodcast @podcast_libero [email protected] @jackpittbrooke on Bluesky @jackpittbrookeathletic on Insta
Anna Thompson @BBCAnnaT
8K Followers 2K Following Women’s sport lead at the BBC. Assistant Editor @BBCSport leading on live sport and major sporting events on BBC Sport website. Winter sports geek!
The Football Writers'... @theofficialfwa
28K Followers 905 Following This is the official Twitter feed of the Football Writers' Association, representing over 900 football journalists in England and Wales.
Rob Harris @RobHarris
156K Followers 4K Following @SkyNews Sports Correspondent. https://t.co/WNZrqrlQrU https://t.co/I97RKSgysP https://t.co/0rwfiFz45u @SportUnlocked Was @AP
Matt Hughes @MattHughesMedia
50K Followers 2K Following Global Sports Business Correspondent, The Guardian
Dominic Fifield @domfifield
65K Followers 2K Following Senior writer turned commissioning editor @TheAthleticFC. Previously spent 20 years at the Guardian and Observer newspapers
Press Gazette @pressgazette
79K Followers 11K Following Free newsletters here: https://t.co/lyJb39Ntv8 Find and post jobs: https://t.co/yQEN35UfNp Stories and tips: [email protected] We are also on Bluesky
David Simpson @WhistleBlowerDK
4K Followers 2K Following Whistle Blowers Podcast | C Licensed coach | USSF Regional Referee | Liverpool fan | traveled 30 countries | 🇬🇧 born 🇺🇸 dual citizen
Sports Journalists @SportSJA
65K Followers 3K Following The Sports Journalists' Association is the largest national organisation of its kind in the world. Catch up on the SJA Awards #sportsmedia #sportsjournalism
Stuart Carrington @StuCarrington07
1K Followers 724 Following Author - Blowing the Whistle: The Psychology Behind Football Refereeing; The Sports Official's Journal Senior Lecturer: Sports Coaching Science
BBC 5 Live Sport @5liveSport
432K Followers 2K Following Taking you into the commentary box/on the pitch/green/ringside/courtside at the world's biggest sport events 🎙️⚽️🏉🎾🥊🏏⛳ Listen on the @BBCSounds app.
Alex Shaw @AlexShawTel
70K Followers 1K Following Daily Telegraph Sports News Editor. Ex-ESPN. Guest lecturer for universities.
SACKED! The Show @Sacked_TheShow
405 Followers 50 Following The inside story on the power and politics of the Premier League with @neilashton_ — latest episode here: https://t.co/4bZx126QHy
Adam Hurrey @FootballCliches
167K Followers 680 Following @TheAthleticFC | Creator & host of the 𝗙𝗢𝗢𝗧𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 podcast, for my sins: https://t.co/OyljoYd55W
Sam Morshead @SamMorshead_
10K Followers 1K Following Founder & Editor, The Moonraker | Co-founder, CounterPress Media | [email protected] | [email protected]
Fools Rush In - STFC ... @FoolsRushInSTFC
2K Followers 2K Following Home of the STFC Fan Chat live streams with discussion and games all based around Swindon Town FC. Online views that of Fyfie only as he won't share log-in 😂
Jacqui Oatley @JacquiOatley
155K Followers 8K Following Football commentator🎙⚽️, sports presenter 🎯📺 , event host, keynote speaker. Insta @jacquioatley. Blue Sky 🦋. Agent Josh via [email protected]
The Ref’s View @TheRefsView
6K Followers 225 Following Podcast with ex SFA Cat 1 Refs Steve Conroy & Des Roache in association with Roxburgh Group & Exacta Concrete Flooring. Part of @SMMediaEnt podcast network.
Crap 90s Football @Crap90sFootball
147K Followers 2K Following A conduit to lo-fi comedic football mediocrity from the last decade of the 20th century (and more recently if it’s really funny). Curated by @JR_Tiger.
Bryan’s Gunn @bryansgunn
123K Followers 6K Following A one-man mission to break football down into its constituent parts
Nick Coote @NickCoote
88 Followers 39 Following Corporate Real Estate Advisor winner OutstandingContributionAward @ Thames Valley Property Awards Swindon FC fan & Member of TrustSTFC Board All views personalTrends for United States
You might like
