The Voice - Match preview #28: Bradford City vs Doncaster Rovers Saturday 31st January 2026 12:30pm

Watching the highlights the 4th official just stands there after the goal and does nothing UNTIL the Donny bench get at him. I would say the 4th official has been coerced into his action and from the angles I have seen couldn't have had a better view than the referee who was stood staring at Jackson with an unimpeded view. Didn't react and gave the goal.

We cannot have officials guessing at an event that was handball but wasn't seen or identified in real time.

Look at 1:58 and the 4th officials demeanour. Doesn't look like he is trying to get the ref's attention just stood there with his hands in his pockets.

 

your question was

How many times have you ever seen a 4th official get involved and influence the refs decision?

 

looks like he is stood there waiting for him to come over. He will have pressed his little buzzer thing in his pocket to notify the ref that an official needs to speak to him

 

I will skirt around individual particulars but Jordan and his brother have absolutely nothing to do with there dad, whom has his own "demons".
It's absolutely nailed in my mind that the "ill" between Jordan and Bradford City fans is not the making of the former.

 

Luke Molyneux, what a great player. Based on yesterday and prior would be a great asset

 

Most definitely, but would think they would be reluctant to sell and certainly not at what we might offer

 

You appear to be strongly defending the 4th official.
Do they have buzzers in pockets? Don’t think so.

 

They watch every game, so presume they just use their Bantams TV equivalent. You can rewind on there.

 

I was saying to my mate if they go down then he’s worth taking off their hands.

 

I think you're right. We couldn't see from the kop so I've just assumed those that are saying it was definitely handball were sat closer and had a much better view. Having watched it slowed down, I'm struggling to see how's it hand ball as it definitely looks like he chested it down.

 

Favourite bit about Molyneux's performance... directly after the goal-that-wasn't, Molyneux was running down the wing when Tilt smashed into him with a full body checj... and the linesman gave Tilt the free kick!

Even our fans in Midland Rd were giving the lino stick for not knowing what he was doing hahaha

 

They have buzzers to communicate witht he ref. The lino has them built into the base of the flag, not sure where the 4th official keeps it but in the pocket would be the obvious place

 

I think to prevent this kind of thing in future then maybe both benches should be advised they are not allowed to interact with the 4th official in any way unless it’s to make a sub.

 

Think you’re massively behind with how new technology has come in to football.

Refs have been mic’d up for a while.


If the 4th official thinks it’s handball he immediately tells the onfield ref it’s handball.

The gap seems to come from him not being 100% getting harangued by the Donny staff and then telling the onfield ref.

 

If they are mic'd up why did the ref come and speak to the lino and then to the 4th official. if they have two way communication for audio there is no need for him to walk over to them. Instead he went to the lino who said no not him adn then he went to the 4th official. And what is the point of the buzzer on the flag and the vibrating armband that the ref wear

 

There’s no “if” they are mic’d up.
They “are” mic’d up.

Maybe he just wanted to be closer to explain clearly his decision to avoid any doubt.

 

If you watch the highlights video posted above you can clearly see the ref, linesman and 4th official are all wearing mics and earpieces.

 

They’ve had them for ages.

 

I know, it's just Storck that seems to think they're still communicating with each other in Morse code.

 

On dial up