Some things in life have to be seen to be believed - and the 'substitutegate' affair at the Launa Windows Stadium between Torquay United and Woking was definitely one of them.
On 65 minutes, the Gulls went to make their first change of the evening as new signing Simon Heslop looked set to enter the field to make his debut - but as the fourth official put his board up it appeared that number '17' Alex Fisher was set to be the player making way for the former Oxford United and Mansfield Town midfielder.
However, it soon transpired that there had been a mistake; the Torquay management team of manager Paul Cox, his assistant John Ramshaw and goalkeeper coach Kenny Veysey pointed out that it should have been number '7' Louis Briscoe exiting the field of play instead of Fisher.
The fourth official then realised his mistake and Briscoe made way, but then the fourth official showed referee Brett Huxtable the piece of paper, which showed the instructions for the substitution and a U-turn was made.
However, despite their protests, the fourth official and referee Huxtable both stuck to their guns and Cox ended up being sent to the stands.
Briscoe was later replaced by Tyrone Marsh.
The laws of the game regarding substitutions state the following:
In all matches, the names of the substitutes must be given to the referee prior to the start of the match. Any substitute whose name is not given to the referee at this time may not take part in the match.
To replace a player with a substitute, the following conditions must be observed:
• the referee must be informed before any proposed substitution is made
• the substitute only enters the field of play after the player being replaced has left and after receiving a signal from the referee
• the substitute only enters the field of play at the halfway line and during a stoppage in the match
• the substitution is completed when a substitute enters the field of play
• from that moment, the substitute becomes a player and the player he has replaced becomes a substituted player
• the substituted player takes no further part in the match, except where return substitutions are permitted
• all substitutes are subject to the authority and jurisdiction of the referee, whether called upon to play or not
The final extract would conclude that Huxtable's decision was right, but the use of logic would suggest that the Gulls' managerial staff were right in the protests.
Firstly, with the game still in the balance at 0-0 - Torquay were eventually beaten by a last minute strike, it would have made more sense to replace Briscoe - an attacking midfielder, who was playing in the hole behind the front two, had only just returned from injury - with Heslop than it would do to substitute leading scorer Fisher.
Secondly, Briscoe had only just returned from injury against FC Halifax at the weekend, which he failed to last the full 90 minutes - thus reflecting a lack of match fitness.
Had the latter two points been taken into consideration, then maybe Fisher could have been allowed to carry on.
But perhaps the whole sorry saga could act as a precinct for a change in the law regarding substitutions - allowing managers greater flexibility when situations like this emerge.
