REFEREE Seb Stockbridge has admitted he blundered over the contentious penalty call against City in the last home game.

But the appointment of Darren Deadman for Saturday’s visit from Crewe, an official that Phil Parkinson once asked should never take charge of the Bantams again, is unlikely to pacify the mood at Valley Parade.

City are still fuming about the Port Vale spot-kick awarded for an alleged handball by Rory McArdle.

Video evidence clearly indicated that the defender had turned his body and blocked the shot from Louis Dodds legally.

Stockbridge has since realised his mistake in a conversation with Dave Allison, the national group referees manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board.

Parkinson said: “It was frustrating from our point of view because nobody in the whole ground thought it was a penalty – apart from one person.

“None of their players appealed for it; none of their bench appealed for it; none of their supporters appealed for it. So for the referee to give the penalty was baffling to say the least.

“But I have since received an apology through David from the ref to say that he got it horribly wrong. I suppose that’s all he can do at this stage.”

Parkinson will not be impressed to hear that Deadman will be the man in the middle against bottom club Crewe as City look for their first home win for five games.

The Bantams boss was hugely critical of the civil servant’s display after a 3-1 defeat at Wimbledon in his first season at the Valley Parade helm.

Deadman sent off Craig Fagan but it was the two penalties he gave for the home side that night which provoked Parkinson’s anger.

Allison subsequently met Parkinson and Mark Lawn at the training ground to watch the incidents again on DVD.

Parkinson said at the time on Deadman’s performance: “It won’t be right if he gets appointed for our matches in the future.”

The Peterborough official has refereed one City game since – the Capital One Cup first-round win over Notts County on the opening day of the 2012-2013 season – but not at Valley Parade.

It is understood that referee appointments for the Football League are drafted weeks before the games takes place. They are then released to the general public at 4pm on the Monday before.

Coming hot on the heels of the Stockbridge spot-kick gaffe, Deadman’s presence at the next home game could fuel further controversy. But Allison stressed the PGMOB would not be swayed on which officials to pick.

Allison told the T&A: "No club can ever have an influence on the appointment of referees. If they do, it's a very dangerous thing for the game.

"Since I've been doing this job, I've made sure that doesn't ever happen."

Meanwhile, Parkinson was at Gresty Road last night to see bottom club Crewe lose 3-0 to Notts County.