Former referee Graham Scott blasts substitution boards after Liverpool coach’s outburst
Former Premier League referee Graham Scott has publicly condemned the current fourth‑official substitution boards, calling them “not fit for purpose” following Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola’s angry reaction to delayed changes in the club’s 2‑2 draw with Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The criticism comes as the Anfield side struggled to complete a triple substitution minutes before Forest’s second goal, a delay that sparked a heated exchange between Iraola and the fourth official.
Iraola claimed the fourth official was taking far too long to ready the boards, saying he had asked for three changes “three minutes before” the goal and was left waiting while the ball went out of play. “I don’t know the reason why we haven’t made the subs,” he said, adding that the crowd was aware of the situation and that the delay may have contributed to a penalty decision.
Scott took to X to explain his frustration with the equipment, noting that each player’s number must be entered manually and that the boards count up one at a time. “Entering number 38 on its own could take several seconds and there are six numbers to plug in here,” he wrote, adding that sponsor advertising makes the boards heavy and unwieldy, forcing the fourth official to keep them on the ground.
He contrasted the Premier League’s system with UEFA competitions, where clubs input the numbers themselves, allowing substitutions to be processed more quickly. The league only adopted a similar method during the Covid‑19 pandemic, and the old boards have remained in use ever since.
Scott also highlighted the procedural checks the fourth official must perform, verifying names and numbers against the official team sheet to avoid errors that occur “frequently enough.” He suggested that while a three‑minute delay would be unacceptable, there is no concrete evidence that the substitution actually took that long – only Iraola’s word.
The former referee admitted he has stood beside Iraola many times and speculated that the coach might be exaggerating the issue to deflect criticism of a goalkeeper’s rash challenge. “I could be wrong, obviously,” Scott added, but emphasized that the technology should be updated to prevent such disputes.
The incident has reignited calls for the Premier League to modernise its substitution process, with clubs and officials alike urging the governing body to replace the manual boards with a digital system that can handle multiple changes instantly. The FA and league authorities have not yet responded to Scott’s remarks, but the debate is expected to feature in upcoming officiating reviews.
As the Premier League continues to grapple with technological upgrades, the controversy underscores the growing pressure on officials to keep pace with the game’s speed and the expectations of managers, players, and fans alike.