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Hall Refs FA Cup Clash

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Referee Andy Hall will once again oversee the mayhem as Rangers travel to Sheffield United this weekend.

Son of a former Football League official, Hall progressed from the National List of assistants in 1993, to the referees list in 1997.

He has taken charge at all 92 Football League grounds, while being a fourth official in the Carling Cup final between Manchester United and Wigan Athletic.

He has taken charge of Queens Park Rangers 13 times in his career, causing a great deal of controversy whenever called upon to officiate Rangers.

He will be assisted by Lee Metcalfe (Lancashire) and Neil Hair (Cambridgeshire), with Russell Fletcher (Derbyshire) the fourth official.

Refereeing Rangers


Andy Hall took charge of his first QPR game at Loftus Road in the drab home draw with Tranmere Rovers as the R’s finished inches above the Division One drop zone.

The following season he returned to W12, but this time the R’s were triumphant over Stockport County, Kevin Gallen’s brace winning the game for Rangers who finished once again in the bottom half.

Brett Angell was given his marching orders for the Hatters, and the veteran striker went on to play for Queens Park Rangers in the twilight of his career.

After the turn of the millennium Mr Hall took charge of QPR’s trip to Blackburn Rovers over the Christmas period – a game that ended goalless at Ewood Park.

Following QPR’s drop into the Second Division Mr Hall saw them meet Swansea City at the Vetch Field in the FA Cup First Round.

The R’s were humbled by the Swans with John Williams, Nicky Cusack, Mamady Sidibe and Steve Watkin on target to knock Rangers out of the cup – Rangers have still to win an FA Cup game since 2001.

Fortunes were transformed as somehow Mr Hall oversaw a QPR win at Swindon Town – a notorious bogey ground for the R’s.

Arsenal loanee Jerome Thomas’ goal from an acute angle sealed the win with little under 15 minutes remaining.

A season of two halves graced Rangers in 2002-03 and Mr Hall first took charge of the R’s that season in the better half – a run somewhat sparked by the 2-0 away win at Peterborough United.

The New Years Day fixture saw Clark Carlisle bag a headed goal before Richard Langley scored direct from the corner flag.

The second of Andy Hall’s QPR trio that season was a bore draw away to Oldham Athletic – the playoff chasers cancelled each other out at a windswept Boundary Park.

The however disaster struck at Loftus Road with Mr Hall causing mass controversy against Crewe Alexandra.

A crowd of just under 17,000 witnessed him send off Clark Carlisle after a second yellow card for challenging with the goalkeeper for a corner on 48 minutes.

The R’s continue to fight valiantly against the odds as both clubs had chances of automatic promotion, but the odds grew larger when Tottenham loanee Stephen Kelly was sent off for a second bookable offence when a free-kick was blasted at his backside from point-blank range.

Mr Hall gleefully raced over to the incident and dished out the card to see Rangers down to nine men. Only Rob Hulse’s guilt-edge miss towards the end of the game kept it goalless as the R’s progressed to the playoff final.

It was over a year before the official presided over another QPR game and the R’s were on a phenomenal run of seven straight wins as they travelled to Preston North End.

Georges Santos put Ian Holloway’s men temporarily top of the league before David Healy equalised for the hosts. Preston had the ball in the back of the net a second time, but for some reason Mr Hall called it back for a penalty.

Chris Day saved the subsequent penalty, but moments later another penalty was granted when Gino Padula is proven to have chested the ball inside the area. Richard Cresswell dispatched the spot-kick to win it for the Lilywhites.

If in the previous two games Mr Hall had set a precedent, he lived up to that by sending off QPR defender Ian Evatt as the R’s lost to another bogey side Northampton Town.

Andy Kirk, Scott McGleish and a 90th minute penalty from former R’s striker Eric Sabin condemned the visitors to a poor defeat at the Sixfields Stadium.

Ian Holloway had been given his marching orders by the time Mr Hall oversaw another QPR clash, at Selhurst Park against Crystal Palace.

One of Gary Waddock’s first games in charge got off to a bad start when Clinton Morrison opened the scoring for the Eagles, this was doubled by Jobi McAnuff shortly before the break.

Youngster Scott Donnelly started for QPR and helped set up Paul Furlong to reduce the deficit in the 56th minute.

A disappointing home defeat to Leyton Orient in the Carling Cup then followed as John Gregory’s men beaten by goals from Jason Demetriou and Adam Boyd – Martin Rowlands hit a consolation shortly after the hour mark.

Most recently however he was back to his old ways in the stunning home win over Reading – sending off Ben Watson for a second bookable offence for taking a free-kick too quickly the R’s were on the back foot.

Ákos Buzsáky had different ideas, slamming the free-kick home for ten-man Rangers. Jay Simpson doubled the advantage after some tremendous build up play to give Rangers the advantage going into the break.

Ivar Ingimarsson was then sent off for the Royals for diving into an ill-advised lunge early in the second period before strike duo Rowan Vine and Patrick Agyemang came from the bench to complete the rout.

Brian Howard’s consolation brought the curtain down on a thoroughly entertaining encounter, but the effects of Mr Hall were truly felt for both sides as he once again made several questionable decisions not withstanding the red cards.

So far this season he has dished out 85 yellows and five reds in only 22 games, giving him an average of 4.09 cards per game.

Mr Hall & Queens Park Rangers


QPR 0-0 Tranmere Rovers – 17-01-1998
Goals: NONE
Yellow Cards: Nigel Quashie, Steve Slade

QPR 2-0 Stockport County – 19-09-1998
Goals: Kevin Gallen 70, 77
Yellow Cards: Danny Maddix, Karl Ready

Blackburn Rovers 0-0 QPR – 09-12-2000
Goals: NONE
Yellow Cards: Henning Berg, Gary Flitcroft; Clark Carlisle

Swansea City 4-0 QPR – 18-11-2001
Goals: John Williams 6, Nick Cusack 39, Mamady Sidibe 80, Steve Watkin 90.
Yellow Cards: Steve Evans, Gareth Phillips; Doudou, Steve Palmer

Swindon Town 0-1 QPR – 06-04-2002
Goals: Jerome Thomas 76
Yellow Cards: Junior Agogo, Dan Shittu, Jerome Thomas.

Peterborough United 0-2 QPR – 01-01-2003
Goals: Clarke Carlisle 44, Richard Langley 79
Yellow Cards: Jason Lee, Anthony Shields; Richard Langley, Steve Palmer

Oldham Athletic 0-0 QPR – 15-03-2003
Goals: NONE
Yellow Cards: Darren Sheridan, Clyde Wijnhard; Lee Cook, Paul Furlong, Richard Langley.

QPR 0-0 Crewe – 26-04-2003
Goals: NONE
Yellow Cards: Clarke Carlisle, Stephen Kelly, Gino Padula; Neil Sorvel.
Red Cards: Clark Carlisle, Stephen Kelly.

Preston North End 2-1 QPR – 19-10-2004
Goals: David Healy 11; Richard Cresswell 78pen; Georges Santos 8.
Yellow Cards: Youl Mawene; Marc Bircham, Lee Cook, Kevin Gallen, Gino Padula, Georges Santos.

Northampton Town 3-0 QPR – 23-08-2005
Goals: Andy Kirk 19, Scott McGleish 62, Eric Sabin 90pen
Yellow Cards: Marcus Bean, Adam Miller, Stefan Moore, Ugo Ukah
Red Cards: Ian Evatt

Crystal Palace 2-1 QPR – 14-02-2006
Goals: Clinton Morrison 3, Jobi McAnuff 32; Paul Furlong 56.
Yellow Cards: Mikele Leigertwood; Mauro Milanese, Marc Nygaard.

QPR 1-2 Leyton Orient – 14-08-2007
Goals: Martin Rowlands 68; Jason Demetriou 55, Adam Boyd 64.
Yellow Cards: Danny Cullip, Nick Ward.

QPR 4-1 Reading – 20-10-2009
Goals: Ákos Buzsáky 31, Jay Simpson 49, Rowan Vine 71, Patrick Agyemang 73; Brian Howard 86
Yellow Cards: Gary Borrowdale, Alejandro Faurlín, Ben Watson; Ivar Ingimarsson
Red Cards: Ben Watson; Ivar Ingimarsson




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