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Earlier in the week MOMS published the Home Office report of the number of banning orders that prevent Villa supporters from visiting Villa Park. What can’t be explained though is why the club hasn’t dished one out to public enemy number one of Villa Park, referee Phil Dowd?
As soon as it was announced Dowd was referring the upcoming Villa vs Spurs game, Villa supporters let out a collective social media grown. One Villa fan even suggested at least it was a chance for Paul Lambert to rest a few players, knowing that his team now had no chance with Dowd in charge of the game.
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In my mind’s eye, this is the referee responsible for denying Villa two League Cups, killed off any last hope of Shaun Maloney’s Villa career and also has contributed to Villa ‘s recent woeful home record.
The Final Nail in Shaun Maloney’s coffin
But Mr Dowd…for what exactly?
The beginning of Phil Dowd’s torment of Villa began in earnest on Boxing Day 2007. After Villa supporters celebrated Christmas day, Dowd was playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge 24 hours later at Stamford Bridge.
Martin O’Neil on top of paying over the odds for functional competent pros would occasionally buy in, on the cheap, a small player known for his technical flare. It was almost just for decoration of the Villa squad, as he rarely played them.
There was Wayne Routledge with his two appearances, but a year before him, also standing at five foot seven, was Shaun Maloney, who potentially offered Villa the guile in the final third that could have made a massive difference, especially when it came to breaking down teams at Villa Park.
At Stamford Bridge, Villa were killing Chelsea and 2-0 up in the first half due to a brace by Maloney, and well on course to dish out a beating on an out of sorts Chelsea team. O’Neil finally gave home-sick Maloney a proper chance and he was talking it. That is, until Dowd helped put an end to the diminutive Scot’s Villa career.
With seconds to go to the half-time whistle, Villa defender Zat Knight was sent off by referee Phil Dowd for ‘preventing a goalscoring opportunity’ (remember this quote of Dowd’s), when he was adjudged to have fouled Michael Ballack in the penalty box.
Knight never touched Ballack. The German midfielder had dived. Dowd reduced Villa to 10 men, and gave a penalty that proved to be the first of the next three goals in Chelsea’s favour due to their numeric advantage.
“Zat Knight’s sending off was a major moment,” O’Neill said after the game. “I’ve seen it a couple of times now and while I’m aware that I have the benefit of replays I will look at it again. It wasn’t a penalty. The Chelsea player went over and there was no contact.”
It was perhaps the pivotal game in deciding Shaun Maloney’s Aston Villa career. On a hat-trick with the whole second-half left to bag it, O’Neil sacrificed the Scot for a defender.
Maloney, who went on to win man of the match just by playing 45 minutes, had been in full flow and was finally enjoying life in a Villa shirt. The substitution pretty much made his mind up his mind there and then, he needed to leave B6, especially when O’Neill then didn’t give me much of a look-in in games afterwards.
What unfurled on the pitch was an incredible game and from the jaws of defeat, Villa twice equalised to earn a remarkable 4-4 draw against Chelsea.Without Dowd’s error though, it would have been a game they would have clearly won and Maloney may have developed into a Holte End hero.
Dowd Owes Villa Two League Cups
To this day, we don’t know why Nemanja Vidic didn’t walk for pulling down Gabriel Agbonlahor in the penalty box during the opening minutes of the 2010 League Cup final at Wembley. Was it a penalty? Hell, yes. He was the last man, yet didn’t even get a yellow card.
Remember what Dowd said about sending off Zat Knight off for not even touching Michael Ballack?
If you ever needed evidence for referees projecting the status quo and the interests of the Sky Four, look no further.
So what about this second League Cup he cost us? Well, even 3-1 down from the semi-final first leg against Bradford City last season, you’d have still backed Villa to get through. 2-0 against Bradford was hardly a big ask…well, until we discovered who was the referee for the evening at Villa Park.
Fast forward to the end of the game and witness the scenes of Bradford City players going up to Dowd to celebrate.
Mr Dowd you were amazing! We couldn’t have done it without you. Let me give you a big kiss.
I mean, I know Dowd did a good job helping Bradford to the win, but they could have been a bit more subtle about it.
In Premier League there’s also a recent worrying trend that has begun with Dowd and Villa Park.
Phil Dowd’s Recent Villa Park Curse
Okay, so Phil Dowd is the referee against Spurs, but what is more worrying is the game takes place at Villa Park in the month of October. Why should you be concerned with that? Read on…
“WTF Mr Dowd” – Petrov
Aston Villa 1 West Brom 2 (October 2011) – Chris Herd wrongly sent off
Villa were one-nil up thanks to a Darren Bent goal and looking comfortable. But just after the half-hour mark, Dowd contentiously dismissed Villa midfielder Chris Herd for an alleged stamp on Jonas Olsson, despite replays clearly showing Herd trying to pull out of the challenge. Alex McLeish’s Villa were a team low on confidence to begin with and they seemed to fold due to the decision that lead to the Baggies winning 2-1.
Bennett calls Mr Dowd a dirty word
Aston Villa 1 Norwich 1 (October 2012) - Joe Bennett is sent off
It’s a year later and again Villa were 1-0 up, thanks to a Christian Benteke opener, but five minutes after the break, it was time for Phil Dowd to put the screws on the Villa once again. He gave Villa left-back Joe Bennett a second yellow for a challenge on the half-way line. Was it a yellow card offence? It’s debatable (if Vidic’s wasn’t, then this certainly wasn’t!) Okay, Bennett was naive getting stuck-in at the half-way line and giving Dowd the option, but harsh by Dowd again. Some may say bias.
Aston Villa vs Spurs (October 2013) – Which Villa player will walk this time?
Is a Villa player being sent off by Phil Dowd at Villa Park in October becoming an annual event?
It might be worth a bet for a Villa player to get sent off against Spurs (my money’s on Delph!). Not only will you pocket the cash, but also, if we all pull our receipts together at the end as evidence, we can get Phil Dowd suspended on the suspicion of being part of an illegal betting syndicate. Then finally, we’ll have Dowd banned from Villa Park.
