EFL boss reveals seven-word explanation from referee after penalty snub that cost automatic promotion

Karl Robinson has revealed what the referee explained to him after a controversial penalty decision that went against Salford City.

Salford were denied a second-half spot-kick in their League Two clash at Crawley Town on Saturday as they chased automatic promotion.

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Daniel Udoh was wiped out inside the area by Charlie Baker, who did not win the ball with his challenge.

The match finished 0-0 and meant Salford missed out on promotion to League One as they finished a point behind Cambridge United.

Head coach Robinson spoke to talkSPORT afterwards and said it was ‘the worst penalty not given for a long time’.

He also called the decision made by referee Lee Swabey ‘horrific’, and joined Breakfast to further bemoan the controversy.

“Karl Robinson, the Salford manager, said, ‘It was four penalties in one’. Karl, good morning to you,” said host Jeff Stelling.

Robinson, with a grin, then replied: “It was six!”

“I can’t say anything that’s going to get me in any trouble, so can you two go to town on it please?” he added.

Robinson then recalled: “We were brilliant on the day. Our players, all season, have been superb, they really have. I’ve loved this season just because of how honest and how transparent they are.

“Okay, we missed chances and we hold responsibility for not winning games of football, it’s never an official’s fault why teams don’t win.

“But, it’s funny isn’t it? The week building up to it, the whole talk on this show in the week with the Arsenal penalty (against Atletico Madrid), where we were looking for minimal touch.

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“I know it’s a different competition, I know it’s a different level, but when you see the force, a tackle from behind, your legs taken away from you, and the referee’s saying to you after the game, what are the words? ‘It just felt like normal football contact.'”

What next for Salford?

After 46 games played in League Two, Bromley went up as champions and will be joined in League One by MK Dons and Cambridge.

Salford finished fourth to set up a two-leg play-off semi-final against seventh-place Grimsby Town, with the first match coming on May 10.

The winners will then meet either Notts County or Chesterfield in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 25.

Despite the heartbreak at Crawley, Robinson is excited for the play-off challenge as he explained: “I’m absolutely looking forward to it, I really am.

“I think when you get over the negative outcome of the day… I think we won the most games in the league, we finished fourth.

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“When we went in there (January 2024), I think they were second from bottom and now, just two years on, we’re speaking about how far we’ve come.

“Off the back of the Manchester City game this year as well, in the fourth round of the FA Cup, they have been tremendous.

“We’re going to just attack it, going to take the handbrake off, just really, really try and enjoy the whole process.

“The EFL is magical, it really is, and we get an opportunity to write a small bit of our history in these play-offs. Grimsby, this year, have had a good cup run as well, they’ve done wonderfully well.

“They’ve beaten us twice already this year in the regular season, so we look forward to the challenge.”