Ben Foster has left fans stunned with an admission about Premier League referees.
The officials are once again under the microscope, with Nottingham Forest currently entrenched in a saga with the PGMOL after their 2-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park.
On Ben Foster's 'Football Fill In' podcast, both he and former Watford teammate Troy Deeney had a discussion about the officials and did not hold back.
Deeney in particular fumed about referees having "fresh trims", "wash bags" and "sliders" and "wanting the camera to pan to them".
He said: "I won't say his name because he's a nice geezer but as a ref he's a helmet, but walking in with wash bags. You're a referee mate!"
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The ex Forest Green Rovers man also compared refs to traffic wardens, stating, "We need them but no-one cares if they exist or not".
But then it was Foster's turn to disclose a bit of information about referees' pre-match preparation that not many will have been aware of beforehand.
He claims that the ref, the two linesman and the fourth official, are given a masseur before every game they officiate.
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Foster explained: "Does everybody know at home, that for every game, they get assigned a masseur as well. I don't think people understand this.
"They get a masseur assigned from the home football club and they have to send a masseur in to give the three, four referees whatever they need basically."
When Foster made the revelation, Deeney lost it and couldn't but decide that the game has well and truly gone.
"We've all heard it, 'the game's gone'. That might be the worst thing I've ever heard.
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"What does the fourth official need a rub for? To stand still?"
In 2021 Goal claimed that the fixed salary for Premier League refs was between £38,500 and £42,000 - as well as £1,150 per game.
Topics: Ben Foster, Premier League
Josh Lawless