How Injury Or Stoppage Time Is Calculated

Vital Manchester City regular, MCFC_Goatboy sent us the following:

There's lots of talk about whether the time added on was or was not correct in the recent derby. So lets look at what the rules say:

FA Rules

Many stoppages in play are entirely natural (e.g. throw-ins, goal kicks). An allowance is to be made only when these delays are excessive.

The fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each period of play.

The announcement of the additional time does not indicate the exact amount of time left in the match. The time may be increased if the referee considers it appropriate but never reduced.

The referee must not compensate for a timekeeping error during the first half by increasing or reducing the length of the second half.

Dermot Gallagher (former referee)

'From Euro 96 we've had this standardisation that we're going to play 30 seconds per substitution, and for excessive goal celebrations we're to play another 30 seconds - so it starts to tot up, and this is why we find the three or four minutes we have on average at most games.'

Right so lets break it down:

In the second half there were no injury delays and the medical team never went on the pitch once.

There was no time wasting by either side.

There was four substitutions in total (including the injury time substitution). So now we are on two minutes (30 seconds a sub).

There were four goals before the Owen goal. For the sake of argument lets say that for every one of them there were excessive goal celebrations (which there obviously wasn't). That's another two minutes (four minutes total).

So where did the initial four minutes come from? I make it three (discounting the injury time Bellamy goal and one sub) and that's assuming excessive goal celebrations. One additional minute for the goal and sub in extra time leads me to a grand total of four minutes.

Now that grand total as mentioned is assuming there was excessive celebration for every single goal. Match of the Day timed it and said it was correct give or take a second...but that's assuming you give nearly a minute for the Bellamy goal when it's been confirmed by the Man Utd fan Dermot Gallagher that 30 seconds is the rule. That's also assuming that four minutes was warranted.

I'm bitter of course and angry that we lost but make of it what you will. The rules as set out by the FA and by a former referee are both above. Make your own mind up. I have and I firmly believe we were robbed. As do many fans excluding Arsenal fans bitter about last week and Man United fans.

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