Don Burlingham (5th Entry)

Yesterday I watched Norwich City play Leicester City at Carrow Road and it brought back memories of the day I was Assistant Referee in the same game in 1973. Norwich were winning 1 – 0 with 2 minutes to go and Keith Weller put the ball in the net for an equaliser which I gave offside. Just after the whistle went and the officials came together to walk off the field. Keith Weller came up to us and spat at us and called us ‘Wankers’. We reported him to the FA and a few weeks later we had to go to Lancaster Gate for the hearing. Jimmy Bloomfield was the Leicester Manager and represented the player. He asked the Chairman of the commission if he knew where Weller came from. The Chairman said “no” Bloomfield said he came from the East End of London where “Wanker” was a term of endearment. He
also said that Weller did not spit but was just clearing his throat. He was suspended for 2 weeks and fined £250 pounds.
The fact that I was a Norwich supporter had nothing to do with it. Seriously the match was on TV and I rushed home to watch it. The player was at least two yards offside.