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Referees

Name Base
George Cain Bootle

Reading games he has refereed (may not be complete):

Date Result Comments
1/11/1997 Port Vale 0 Reading 0  
6/1/1998 Reading 0 Middlesbrough 1 League Cup quarter-final - Cain awarded a free-kick to Reading and then changed his mind, allowing Middlesbrough a quick break upfield to score the winning goal whilst our defenders were out of position.
15/9/1998 Barnsley 3 Reading 0  
7/8/1999 Reading 2 Bristol City 1 Did send off Bristol City's Gerard Lavin to slightly redeem himself
16/11/2002 Sheffield United v Reading (postponed) Held a 1.30pm pitch inspection and couldn't make up his mind. Held a lengthy further inspection at 2pm and called the game off.
18/2/2003 Sheffield United 1 Reading 3  
21/4/2003 Portsmouth 3 Reading 0  

Other comments:

George Cain's base is quoted as Bootle, but I have always understood that he actually lives in Seaforth and runs a butcher's shop in Bootle. On Thursday, 23rd November 2000, the Crosby Herald reported that "George Cain, of Rawson Road, Seaforth, was charged with failing to provide information subject to a Council Tax Liability Order requested on August 15. Cain was convicted in his absence by North Sefton magistrates, fined £50 and ordered to pay £20 costs." There may be more than one George Cain in Seaforth, of course.

As mentioned elsewhere, Clive Wilkes is the most hated referee by Reading fans, but Cain runs him close. By single-handedly costing us a chance of League Cup glory in what was otherwise a depressing spell for the club, Cain has attained a permanent position in the list of villains.

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