‘I SUPPOSE you are going to mention Keith Stroud in your column this week’, said my postman.

Reading fans will remember referee Stroud for not spotting Leeds player Liam Cooper stepping on the head of Reece Oxford at Madejski Stadium recently. Referees haven’t got eyes in the back of their head, so I wouldn’t criticise him for that.

What my postman was referring to was Stroud’s suspension from refereeing after making a mistake at a penalty kick at Newcastle versus Burton Albion.

The Newcastle kick was taken correctly, the ball going into the Burton goal.

However, players of both teams entered the penalty area before the kick was taken and Stroud disallowed the goal.

I give him credit for this, too often players encroach without any action being taken. Where he went wrong, is by then awarding an indirect free-kick to Burton.

Earlier this season I reviewed the half-a-dozen law changes to the penalty kick and I said ‘together with the infringements that have not been changed, the referee has a lot of things to think about at penalty kicks’.

Let me briefly recall some of them. If attacking players encroach and a goal is scored, the kick is retaken.

If a goal is not scored, an indirect free-kick is awarded against the kicker’s team. If defending players encroach and a goal is scored, it stands, if not, the kick is retaken.

If the goalkeeper comes off his line before the kick is taken and a goal is scored, it stands, but if not, the kick is retaken and the goalkeeper is shown a yellow card.

Whilst trying to be fairer, these and other changes with increased sanctions, make penalties slightly more complicated.

What has not changed however, is when players of both sides, encroach before the kick is taken.

Irrespective of whatever happens, the kick must be retaken. Sounds easy to remember, but as Keith Stroud discovered, not always so in the heat of the game.