Bristol City's email to Cardiff City and Swansea City after

Bristol City's email to Cardiff City and Swansea City after Leeds United controversy

Head coach Lee Johnson explained the unusual step


Bristol live

Monday 5th August 2019

Head coach Lee Johnson explained the unusual step



Bristol City have emailed Cardiff City, Swansea City and every other Championship club to tell them they will not be kicking the ball out of this play this season unless a player has suffered a genuine head injury.

It comes after a controversial incident in the Robins' 3-1 defeat to Leeds United on the opening day of the campaign.

Speaking to Bristol Live , head coach Lee Johnson clarified the situation.

Johnson made the statement after a flashpoint at Ashton Gate which saw Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich go down with the Robins playing on.

Following some heated exchanges on the touchline, City finally gave in to knocking the ball out when Kasey Palmer appeared to throw it at the opposition bench in frustration.

Johnson said he spoke with Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa at half-time to clear the matter up.

“It’s fine. We sent an email out to the clubs because this happens often,” said Johnson.


“Somebody goes down and sometimes it’s tactical, because people try and gain an advantage and sometimes it’s genuine.

“So we just decided as a club that we’re going to make a rule for the 46 games that we’re going to let the referee manage the game.

“So therefore if that’s our player injured or the opposition player injured, there’s a consistency there.


“If the referee sees a head injury he will stop the game but if it’s not a head injury he will play on.

“And our players are coached to play with 10 men in certain environments. And that’s what I was trying to explain [to Bielsa]. Obviously that’s not easy with the language barrier but in the cold light of day we were able to sit and talk it through.”

Johnson went on to play down the confrontations on the touchline after the incident, stating that almost any club would do the same if their player went down and the game carried on

Common sense at last now every one knows the score no ambiguity during game

I totally agree with this, the game should only be stopped by the ref. So many times you see a player holding his leg in agony with the other players indicating to kick the ball out. The ball is kicked out for a throwing preventing the team from attacking (usually on the break) and then that 'injured' player is back on the pitch after a drink of water and his team has been given the chance to set up defensively.

I knew Bristol City had their uses!! Well done to them

Bristol City have got this bang on IMO To much of it goes on this is what refs are for. Good of them to let other clubs know and they say that goes for them as well. If they have to play on with ten men so be it.
Happy days

Seems most, including me, are in agreement with this stance by Bristol City FC

Nothing more frustrating than when a team uses a minor injury as an excuse to stop another team's attack and then rant and rave (but in reality crying wolf)

I was one who actually thought that Leeds Utd goal last season should have stood without reply

Let the ref referee and the players play. Does my head in when the players try to ref the game.

Obviously message didn't get through last night as opposition wanted ball kicked out for normal injury to player much to fans frustration...

I fully agree with BCFC/Lee Johnson and all of the above posts. I would like to take it further and issue a yellow card for this kind of behaviour as it is taking advantage of a courtesy designed to stop life threatening situations like swallowing a tongue.

If a player takes a knock but is not seriously injured they can indicate that by raising their arm. A player that doesn't rise their arm would then be considered as seriously injured and the game stopped. If it transpires that they are not seriously injured then the referee should issue a yellow card.