Fair Play?

Recent stats from the Football League show that the Silkmen have committed the fourth least number of fouls in League Two so far this season. But the card count tells a different story.

Fouls Table

The Silkmen have, according to FA statistics, fouled the opposition on 165 occasions this season, exactly the same number as neighbours Stockport County.

And yet, whilst County have received a total of 15 yellows and no reds over the course of the season to date, the Silkmen have been shown yellow on 29 occasions and red three times.

Top of the fouls League Boston United have received four more cards than the Silkmen from a staggering 90 more fouls whilst Wrexham and MK Dons also seem to have run over a referees black cat, with 28 yellows and a red from just 159 fouls for Wrexham and 35 yellows, three reds and six penalties from 189 fouls for MK!

Meanwhile the Silkmen have reportedly twice been issued with fines for cards in individual matches as card happy referees in the games against Shrewsbury and Bristol Rovers have thrown them about like confetti.

Against the Shrews, the Silkmen were reduced to 10 men after Bully slipped in the box and was shown a second yellow. His first had been harsh and for his first tackle of the match. Bullock was later banned for a further game for failing to leave the field of play and being aggressive towards the referee. (A punishment which somehow escaped Jon Obi Mikel at Chelsea).

It was to much annoyance of the Macclesfield support that we were somehow punished with an incredible eight yellows (Two of which leading to a red for Danny Swailes) at Bristol Rovers. This was despite the stats showing that the Silkmen committed fewer fouls than their opposition during the game.

It is even more amazing as the referee in question has never given eight yellows in one game previously, let alone that many to one side.

The third red of the season came when Kevin McIntyre was sent off at Peterborough.

Strangely, despite the high number of cards issues to the Silkmen themselves, they have so far avoided an appearance in the individuals bad-boy table, topped by Jason Lee at Notts County with 51 fouls and 5 yellows.

Individual Table