Tech trouble leaves Chelsea game ref without comms

During a recent Chelsea match at Stamford Bridge, referee Michael Oliver and his team encountered a significant issue - they were unable to communicate due to a lack of their communications pack. This was the first time in over 20 years that a Premier League fixture was played without radio sets for the referee, his assistants, the fourth official, and the video assistant referee (VAR) team.

The communication problems arose because the battery packs or the communication link were malfunctioning. The officials were unable to hear each other through the crowd noise, which was not being suppressed on the system as it usually is. As a result, the VAR, Andrew Kitchen, had to work independently, relying solely on messages sent to his watch.

This situation called for a return to the basics of their protocol, as Kitchen had to make checks based on his own assessment, rather than incorporating the referee's view. Despite the challenges, the team managed to complete the game, which ended in a 4-3 victory for Chelsea over Brighton. This incident may have given the referees a sense of nostalgia, as they were reminded of their beginnings in grassroots football, where they likely carried less equipment.