Bristol City have contacted the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) following another game in which the Robins were denied what they believe to be a clear penalty kick.
Sky Sports News have reported that the club have contacted Championship referees manager Kevin Friend - coincidentally a City fan - to request an investigation into the continuing trend which has seen the Robins go 430 days without a spot-kick being awarded in their favour.
Bristol Live understands there has been no formal request to Friend or the PGMOL to conduct such an investigation, but in their post-match report, which is filed after every game, City have asked for clarification as to why two first-half incidents against Swansea City in Sunday's FA Cup tie went unpunished.
Manager Nigel Pearson was mystified following the 1-1 draw that the Robins hadn’t been awarded penalties after apparent fouls inside the area on Antoine Semenyo and Rob Atkinson. In the second half Alex Scott was clearly barged to the ground in the 18-yard box by Swansea defender Nathan Wood, who was booked by referee Craig Pawson for the incident but nothing else given.
The last penalty given to City was on November 6, 2021, as Chris Martin converted from 12 yards in a 3-2 defeat at Coventry City but since then the Robins haven’t received any such decisions in their favour, while the gap for their spot-kick before that instance at the CBS Arena was 717 days ago.
A study by the CIES Football Observatory in January 2022 found that City ranked last of more than 600 teams across 31 leagues in Europe major leagues in terms of minutes per penalty awarded, a statistic that has since only increased in number.
“We’re never going to get a penalty again, I would have thought,” Pearson told BBC Radio Bristol. “He’s (Pawson) a Premier League referee as well. (You) get a bit tired of talking about that.
“The two penalty shouts in the first half, when you look at them, I’m embarrassed for them. But somebody has to do something about it and it remains a real conundrum as to why we don’t get them. The penalty decisions that don't go our way are bemusing, it's concerning for the game and certainly a concern for us."
Earlier this season, in the wake of a 2-0 win over Luton Town at Ashton Gate, Pearson said he’s considered retirement such is his perception of current refereeing standards and the avoidable pressure it places on managers.
City fan Sam Rowsell has set up the Bristol City Penalty Clock, a website which maintains a running count of the last time the Robins have received a penalty decision in their favour.
City have already received one apology from the PGMOL this season after they were denied two penalties at Hull City on the opening day of the campaign, while the hosts were erroneously given a spot-kick from which Ozan Tufan scored from and the Tigers went on to win the game 2-1.
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