Lecturer in Leadership & Management. Advanced Teaching Practitioner. Football enthusiast & passion for music. All views my own. RT does not signify endorsement.
Joined November 2010
- Tweets 9,530
- Following 1,124
- Followers 291
- Likes 4,932
863 Photos and videos
Pinned Tweet
26 Nov 2018
I was forced to stop playing football for the same reason & at the same age as #LeonBarnett
It’s important to raise awareness that heart conditions can hit anyone at any age.
@TheBHF do great work & donations are always appreciated.
He's played more than 350 matches in his career.
But Leon Barnett has been forced into retirement aged 32.
bbc.in/2QgLG8F
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Simon Takel retweeted
Has football become too complicated, or was it always this way?
♦️ The confusing handball law
♦️ Subjective offside calls
♦️ The crazy world of "deliberate play"
♦️ Double jeopardy advantage
📺 Of course, VAR
🎉 And it's going to get worse!
👇
bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…
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Simon Takel retweeted
Feb 18
"VAR works fine everywhere else," we always hear in England.
But is there really a Utopian world of VAR in Europe's top leagues?
A look at how VAR is viewed in Germany, Spain, Italy and France.
A story of fan protests, player anger, and frustration.
👇
bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…
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Simon Takel retweeted
The issue with saying referees should use “common sense” and ignore the rules is that
A) Common sense isn’t that common
B) The second a referee ignores the rules and uses “common sense” and it goes against you, you’re absolutely losing your head
It’s nice to think they can do it in principle, but it’s entirely impractical
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Simon Takel retweeted
Fans will hate it, pundits won't like it, and football will turn its nose up too.
Yet when a goal is scored only because of a foul there is no way it could be allowed to stand.
Analysis of Man City's VAR-disallowed goal at Liverpool.
#LIVMCI
👇
bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…
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Simon Takel retweeted
Feb 8
People are saying VAR was wrong and that they should just “play advantage”.
They do that and it’s no goal and a foul by Haaland; freekick to Liverpool for the tug on Szo.
By Haaland making that tug back, he gave VAR no choice.
Don’t understand why folks can’t comprehend that.
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Simon Takel retweeted
12 Nov 2025
If the row over the Andrew Robertson offside has shown one thing, it's that VAR can never overcome the simple issue of subjectivity and how fans view and dissect decisions against their own team.
READ 👇
bbc.co.uk/sport/football/art…
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Simon Takel retweeted
10 Oct 2025
The replies to this say everything, really.
Anthony Taylor says his family have not been to a game he has officiated since the abuse they faced after the Europa League final in 2023.
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23 Jun 2025
@AlanR_77 @AlanR_77
25/26 kit for Tivvy Archive - take your pick.
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5 Oct 2025
Have you got this photo? Can’t see this version of the kit on the archives?
facebook.com/share/1JHHLFSMu…
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Simon Takel retweeted
15 Sep 2025
The VAR Review is LIVE!
Featuring:
📌 Brentford's "offside" goal vs. Chelsea
📌 Tottenham's disallowed goal & possible penalty
📌 Soucek red card
📌 Mosquera DOGSO vs. Newcastle?
📌 Ugochukwu straight red?
📌 Encroaching by Frimpong
➕ More!
READ 👇
espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/4…
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Simon Takel retweeted
27 Aug 2025
£49.18 is the standard weekly allowance for asylum seekers.
It's reduced to £9.95 if meals are included with accommodation.
You need a national insurance number to claim benefits or work. Asylum seekers do not have one.
No free phone (or Ipads). Occasionally, sims, or recycled phones are provided by charities.
Just in case anyone is interested in the facts.
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Simon Takel retweeted
21 Aug 2025
🚨 SHIRT GIVEAWAY 🚨
Sorrento Calcio x Ezeta
Your chance to win the shirt everyone’s been talking about - a stunning tribute to the symbols of Sorrentine history & culture 🇮🇹
To enter:
🔄 Retweet
🤝 Follow @sorrentocalcio & @ezeta
🤝 Follow @calcioengland
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Simon Takel retweeted
20 Aug 2025
This is why "ex-players on VAR" wouldn't be the panacea people think it might be.
Because apart from the small number of egregious errors, decisions are still down to opinion and interpretation.
And guess what? Ex-players don't agree with each other.
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Simon Takel retweeted
13 May 2025
38 players used, 5 different goalkeepers, 4 coaches and €millions wasted in flawed recruitment tells the story of a wretched season for #Sampdoria
Relegation to Serie C for the first time in the club’s history
This lot deserve so much better
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2 Mar 2025
@rosen__bridge Tiverton Town 24/25 kits for the Tivvy Archives
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Simon Takel retweeted
21 Feb 2025
no point pretending there was a time when everyone loved referees, but it’s incredible - and quite sad - how utterly mad people have gone in the VAR era.
18 Feb 2025
"Everyone has seen what is happening to us in this league, and I don't forget it" 💬
Federico Valverde has taken to social media to apologise to fans for not criticising match officials in his press conference earlier today.
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Simon Takel retweeted
4 Feb 2025
Carlo Ancelloti on referees in his prematch press conference just now, when asked about those officials in other leagues:
"A referee's job is very difficult.
"Where they have less pressure is in England, and I think that's why they perform better there."
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Simon Takel retweeted
27 Jan 2025
The VAR Review is live!
This week looking at:
📌 Lewis-Skelly's red card for Arsenal at Wolves
❓ "Worst decision ever?" Not close
📌 Enciso red card?
📌 Martínez challenge
📌 Handball by Veltman
📌 Encroaching by Guéhi
📌 Digne red card?
READ 👇
espn.com/soccer/insider/stor…
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Simon Takel retweeted
24 Jan 2025
Guys, this is insane.
Magdeburg are TOP of the table in 2.Bundesliga with ZERO home wins.
They the only team in the league without home wins.
And they are the leaders.
Statistically, the chances of that happening are zero.
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Simon Takel retweeted
6 Jan 2025
The VAR Review is live!
This week featuring:
📌 Saliba on Pedro, Brighton penalty
📌 Gabriel penalty?
📌 Handball by De Ligt
📌 DOGSO by Leif Davis?
📌 Wilson penalty reaction
📌 Disallowed Brentford goal
📌 Chelsea / Bournemouth penalties?
➕ More!
espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/4…
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10 Dec 2024
@StagecoachSW - Thread about an absolutely awful experience tonight waiting for the 55 bus to arrive at 20:05 near the Clocktower in #Exeter tonight. Finished work at 19:30 and walked over to wait at the bus stop and arrived there at 19:45.
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10 Dec 2024
This meant me and another passenger having to pay for taxi to get home. Despite the fact that neither of us were told of any route diversions on the way into Exeter and there was no signage at the bus stop to say it was closed and no info on the @StagecoachSW website.
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10 Dec 2024
None of the previous buses that drove past - including the 55 - stopped to inform us the stop was closed and we would never have known unless the latter bus drive had stopped and told us. There was no way of contacting @StagecoachSW for info as they had closed at 18:00.
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