Ipswich chairman reveals his text messages sent to referees' chief Howard Webb DURING a game, before demanding crisis summit over VAR
- Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton has been left incensed by recent VAR decisions
- The club chief revealed he called up PGMOL's Howard Webb to discuss matters
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Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton has revealed that he called Howard Webb and demanded clarity from the referees chief after VAR drama on the weekend.
The Tractor Boys have fallen victim to a number of controversial decision in their first season back in the Premier League, which has seen them struggle to pick up points.
Against Everton two weeks ago, a penalty was awarded when Jack Clarke was tripped before Michael Oliver overturned the decision after VAR intervention.
The following match against Brentford, they saw VAR overturn a free-kick decision and instead grant the Bees a crucial spot-kick.
And, in their recent 1-1 draw against Leicester, Ipswich were denied a seemingly obvious penalty shout after Conor Chaplin was barged over by Abdul Fatawu in the box in the 77th minute.
Ipswich chairman Mark Ashton (left) revealed that he called Howard Webb and demanded clarity from the referees chief after VAR drama on the weekend
Against Leicester, Ipswich felt they should have been awarded a 'stonewall' penalty in the tie
Leicester's Abdul Fatawu took down Ipswich forward Conor Chaplin inside the penalty area
However, officials waved away cries for a penalty. Later in the match, Ipswich's Kalvin Phillips was sent off after a second bookable offence, much to the dismay of the home supporters.
Similarly to Ipswich fans, club chairman Ashton was left incensed by the decision and revealed that he called up referees chief Webb to discuss the matter.
Speaking on BBC Radio Suffolk's The Blue Hour, he said: 'I get frustrated and I get angry at things when they don't go our way, but I thought Saturday was a real injustice.
'And those who know me know I care passionately about this football club and I will give my last breath defending this football club. And I made that very, very clear to Howard Webb.
'I live in a world where if I say too much I'll be put on a charge, so what I'm going to say to you know is putting me on that line.
'But I've tried to be honest and open with this fanbase since the day I joined, so I'll give the train of events as they unfolded on Saturday.
Ashton revealed that he quickly called up Howard Webb to discuss the matter with the chief
Ashton insists he will meet Webb 'this week at Portman Road' to talk over VAR's decisions
'I actually messaged Howard when we were 1-0 up because I had a sense of the way this was going to go. I've been in this game a long time and I could feel it.
'I messaged him simply and said, 'Look, can we speak directly after the game?'. We spoke directly after the game and some of that conversation needs to remain private because I'll end up being on a charge, I'll end up being on a stadium ban, I'll end up being fined, none of which worries.
'I've seen on international broadcasters today, former referees giving their opinion that it's not a penalty. You cannot be serious. Come on, don't just back your former colleagues. It's a stonewall penalty'.
After falling victim to contentious VAR decisions on three occasions this season already, Ashton insists his view on the use of the technology has changed.
'When we were promoted to the Premier League in the summer, I'd never worked with VAR ever, so it was very new to me,' he continued.
'And the Premier League presented to me why we should support retaining VAR, Wolverhampton Wanderers had made a petition for it to be removed.
'We listened to Wolves and we listened to some other clubs and we listened primarily to the Premier League and on the basis of what I was told, we supported the Premier League's decision.
'And a key part of that was how high the bar was going to be set for decisions to be overturned and overruled, and at what point VAR got involved in the game.
Ipswich have also felt that hard done by by VAR decisions against Everton and Brentford
'If I was asked to make that vote again tomorrow, I can't look you in the eye say I'd vote the same way because I am still angry, I'm still frustrated.
'All I look for is consistency and right now, I'm confused. I think as a coaching staff we're probably confused.
'The culmination of that interesting, shall we say, conversation with Howard on Saturday night is that we will meet this week at Portman Road to discuss it because we need answers, we need to understand.
'I can't understand some of the decisions that were made, the refereeing decisions and I struggle to under stand why we weren't awarded a penalty'.
