Extreme penalties

[Deleted]

After our match against Basingstoke on 16 February, when there were no penalties in the game, I had a PM asking if it had ever happened before. I have complete records up to 1991/2 but mostly home sheets only since then. Nevertheless I have been beavering through the sheets I have and can find only one other game where this has happened – 30 January 2003 v. Cardiff. It is down on the sheet as a challenge match, but I have a feeling it might have been one of those Coca Cola Cup matches that electrified us with excitement.

Whilst looking this up, I also made a note of matches where Panthers didn’t get any penalties and have found four since 1980. They are listed below showing date, opponent, referee and penalties to each side, Panthers first:

25 October 1987 v Murrayfield; Micky Curry; 0/7
25 March 1989 v Peterborough; Keith Franklin; 0/42
15 March 1997 @ Bracknell; Simon Kirkham; 0/2
10 October 2003 v Newcastle; Simon Kirkham; 0/2

Matches where our opponents didn’t get any penalties are as follows, with the penalties to each side, Panthers first;

5 March 1989 v Fife; Ed Miller; 6/0
15 October 1989 v Whitley; Keith Franklin; 4/0
21 April 1991 @ Murrayfield; Ken Taggart; 6/0
26 January 1999 @ Newcastle; Graham Horner; 4/0
14 November 2004 v Fife; Nigel Boniface; 44/0

I also made a note of matches where both teams got more than 100 minutes (much more interesting, eh?) and found three. They are listed below showing date, opponent, referee and minutes to each side, Panthers first:

1 March 1986 v Ayr; Ken Bullock; 106/149
14 December 1997 @ Sheffield; Mike Rowe; 121/180
9 February 2001 v Sheffield; Moray Hanson; 233/238 ;D

Matches where we got 100+ minutes are as follows, with minutes to each side, Panthers first ;

21 December 1986 @ Whitley; Rex Kell; 101/86
2 September 2000 v London; Moray Hanson; 111/51

Matches where our opponents got 100+ minutes are as follows, with minutes to each side, Panthers first ;

11 January 1986 v Murrayfield; Alec Johnstone; 67/130
19 January 1992 @ Whitley; Micky Curry; 86/115
5 November 1995 v Humberside; Simon Kirkham; 43/120
20 November 1999 v Newcastle; Moray Hanson; 66/123

Bit of a list, but hopefully will awaken a few memories, as it did for me looking it all up. As I say I have not got full records for recent years so if anyone wants to add to this feel free.

Incidentally, prior to 1990/91, game, match and gross misconduct penalties only counted as 10 minutes on the game sheet. If we used today’s requirement of 20 for games and 25 for matches and grosses, the Ayr match in 1986 would read Panthers 191 minutes, Ayr 249. So technically Ayr hold the record for most minutes in a Panthers game.

[MP]

Looking at those figures Stef it seems games with no penalties called on either team must be pretty rare occurrences.

Makes me wonder if there is a degree of expediency behind some of them when they do occur.

Wasn't there a game in Belfast a couple of seasons back when a flight was delayed and the game was a couple of hours late starting? Can't remember the score (though I suspect it may have been 0-0) but have a feeling there no penalties called on the game. Makes you wonder if it was a case of "lets just get this game over with..."

[Lammy]

Thanks for that, Stef!

Some of those games mentioned sure brought back memories - some better than others !

Cheers,
Lammy

[PeteW]

Stef said:

They are listed below showing date, opponent, referee and penalties to each side, Panthers first:
25 October 1987 v Murrayfield; Micky Curry; 0/7

Ouch. Racers 13 Panthers 3.

Stef said:

25 March 1989 v Peterborough; Keith Franklin; 0/42

5-5 A draw that's unusual.

Stef said:

15 March 1997 @ Bracknell; Simon Kirkham; 0/2

Bees 3 Panthers 4.

Stef said:

10 October 2003 v Newcastle; Simon Kirkham; 0/2

Panthers 5 Vipers (as they were then) 4. Clarke & Ahlroos with 1+1

Stef said:

Matches where our opponents didn’t get any penalties are as follows, with the penalties to each side, Panthers first;
5 March 1989 v Fife; Ed Miller; 6/0

Panthers 7 Flyers 6. Adey 4+2 Durdle 2+2

Stef said:

15 October 1989 v Whitley; Keith Franklin; 4/0

Panthers 3 Warriors 11

Stef said:

21 April 1991 @ Murrayfield; Ken Taggart; 6/0

Racers 7 Panthers 2

Stef said:

26 January 1999 @ Newcastle; Graham Horner; 4/0

Won 3-2 "against the Riverkings this time"

Stef said:

14 November 2004 v Fife; Nigel Boniface; 44/0

5-2 win

Stef said:

I also made a note of matches where both teams got more than 100 minutes (much more interesting, eh?) and found three. They are listed below showing date, opponent, referee and minutes to each side, Panthers first:
1 March 1986 v Ayr; Ken Bullock; 106/149

4-2 win, but I can't remember it, like many others

Stef said:

14 December 1997 @ Sheffield; Mike Rowe; 121/180

5-0 win. homepage.ntlworld.com/peter.walch/Gamesheets/97d14.htm Boy would I like to see that scoreline repeated occasionally.

Stef said:

9 February 2001 v Sheffield; Moray Hanson; 233/238 ;D

Always nice to beat the Steelers ;Dhomepage.ntlworld.com/peter.walch/Gamesheets/2001f9.htm

Stef said:

Matches where we got 100+ minutes are as follows, with minutes to each side, Panthers first ;
21 December 1986 @ Whitley; Rex Kell; 101/86

Lost 10-6

Stef said:

2 September 2000 v London; Moray Hanson; 111/51

Won 2-1. Jordan Willis & Eoin McInerney both played at some stage in this game.

Stef said:

Matches where our opponents got 100+ minutes are as follows, with minutes to each side, Panthers first ;
11 January 1986 v Murrayfield; Alec Johnstone; 67/130

Famous game this, or is that infamous ;D. One of the few I remember from that era. We played the Racers twice at the NIC in fairly short order and pasted them both times. Both games nearly didn't finish ;Dhomepage.ntlworld.com/peter.walch/Gamesheets/86j11.htm

Stef said:

19 January 1992 @ Whitley; Micky Curry; 86/115

Lost 9-6

Stef said:

5 November 1995 v Humberside; Simon Kirkham; 43/120

Autumn Cup semi-final 2nd leg - won 14-9 on agg.

Stef said:

20 November 1999 v Newcastle; Moray Hanson; 66/123

6-0 win and it's still the Riverkings homepage.ntlworld.com/peter.walch/Gamesheets/99n20.htm

[Deleted]

MP said:

Makes me wonder if there is a degree of expediency behind some of them when they do occur.

As opposed to the very prominent referee from some years ago (initials NT) who was not averse, where a game and crowd were a bit flat, to calling a daft penalty against us to annoy the crowd, who then got riled and in the process woke up, their indignation usually communicating itself to the teams, and away we went - game on.

Always knew when he was going to do it because he used to wink at us on the bench.

[PeteW]

Stef said:

As opposed to the very prominent referee from some years ago (initials NT) - snip

That well known Dutch import, Nico Toeman I presume?

[Deleted]

PeteW said:

That well known Dutch import, Nico Toeman I presume?

Indeed.

[PeteW]

PeteW said:

That well known Dutch import, Nico Toeman I presume?

What happened to Nico? I presume he went back to Holland? I remember he was brought over to be some sort of rerereeing supremo, supposedly improve the standard of our referees.

[Toto']

PeteW said:

What happened to Nico? I presume he went back to Holland? I remember he was brought over to be some sort of rerereeing supremo, supposedly improve the standard of our referees.

Fine job he did too ;D

[1980hometovikings]

If my memory is right....the Jan 86 game against Murrayfield was the abandoned game & the March 86 game against Ayr was nearly abandoned but KB took both teams of the ice for around 1/2 hr to cool down before continuing.........Have I got the right games .....BTW Ken Bullock - Top Ref

[Alf Garnett]

The Murrayfield game got abandoned with Panthers 10 - 2 up with about a minute left IIRC.The Ayr Bruins game was like you said suspended for about 35 - 40 mins but did get completed with a large part of the 3rd period played 3 on 3.

[KimThePanther]

We can add tonight's game to that list too.

Must have taken some doing to record all the penalties from the Battle of LPS game Stef! Isn't the penalties amassed that night some kind of record?

[mouth]

Both Nico and Ken were great referees. I remember when they used to do my junior games (played as a kid).

It's amazing when you look back and realise that NT was a linesman in the now fabled 1980 Olympic semi-final between USA and Russia.