Blunder referee Lee Mason re-hired despite costly Arsenal mistake on VAR duty

Lee Mason left his role as a VAS at PGMOL earlier this year, shortly after making a huge howler which cost Arsenal an important Premier League win

Lee Mason is set to return as a referees’ coach this season, despite his huge blunder which cost Arsenal a win last season.

Mason left his role as a video assistant referee at Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) in February by mutual consent. He had been involved in controversy earlier that month when he failed to spot an offside in the build-up to a Brentford equaliser against the Gunners.

Christian Norgaard was beyond the last defender when the ball was played before providing an assist for Ivan Toney to level for the Bees, who went on to take a point at the Emirates. However, as the Daily Mail first reported, he has now returned, with the PGMOL keen to draw on his experience of officiating in over 500 matches after he progressed to the Football League in 1998.

Mason is understood to be one of a number of referee coaches who have joined the ranks. He will specifically work with officials at League One and Two level, and will not be involved in VAR work.

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The move has gone down like a lead balloon with Gunners supporters, who are still furious about Mason’s costly error.

“Rewarding failure! What a joke, best league in the world, worst officials, clowns,” fumed one.

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A second raged: “So basically nobody is held accountable but Arsenal still lost the league. Narrative now stands as, we bottled it. 5 points separate us from City at the end. FIVE. Times PGMOL admitted to making a mistake: 2-3 times.”

A third said: “His decisions against Arsenal still haunts me!”

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The recruitment of Mason and others is part of a drive by PGMOL to grow its workforce and enhance expertise as part of the wider support available to its officials.

Coaching is said to be a key focus, with a number of appointments made within that structure over the summer, including football insights coaches, like former player Chris Kiwomya and ex-referee Andre Marriner. Managers, including Mark Warburton and Karl Robinson, have also delivered sessions to referees.