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March Society Meeting now
Wednesday 21st March
TOUCHLINES The Magazine of the Sutton Referees’ Society
www.suttonreferees.co.uk
April 2015
Says Fez…
C o n t e n t s
2 Says Fez…
3 Editor’s Notes
3 From the Chair
4 Minutes & Committee Reports
From the Meeting of March 10th
, 2016
6 Sutton’s Super Refs
7 Captions Please!
8 Surrey Youth League
A Follow-up from Graham Ekins.
9 Guest Speakers – March & April
10 ..in the Referee’s Opinion
Your thoughts, questions and comments.
12 You are the Ref
Scenarios with Members’ responses.
17 Check the Net
Snippets from the World Wide Web.
29 Footie Funnies
31 Society Contacts
32 Dates for Your Diary
Upcoming Events.
April Meeting – Thursday 14th
Hi, All. Emotional baggage!
So what if last night’s game started a little late? The coaches still busy wanting
to share that last piece of advice with every player, individually. In the middle
stood the man in black frantically blowing his whistle, desperately trying to get a
reaction from at least one player. His assistants like pin-balls bouncing up and
down their lines uttering "come on lads, let get going", only to be met by 22 cloth
ears. The tone was set and the lads knew it, the ref had no control.
Within minutes of kick off the reds started an attack which resulted in the first
tackle of the game. A blatant late tackle by the yellow 9 catching his opponent
behind the left knee, sending him sprawling across the half way line. Coaches
launched themselves off the bench like fireworks, screaming and shouting,
demanding cards. But the tired looking man in the middle loped over and quietly
had a word in the ear of the yellow 9. "What no card ref, for nearly breaking his
leg, you don't know what you're doing!" came the cleaned up words from the
bench.
And the next 43 minutes continued in the same fashion. Tackle after tackle,
word after word and still the coloured cards remained in his pocket. There was a
moment when the ref put the whistle to his mouth for another foul by yellow,
only to take it away seconds later. The yellows stopped, reds continued and
with no advantage called laced a belter into the top right net. Goal!!! The yellows
immediately surrounded the ref shouting that he was going to blow so we
stopped, but he didn't mind and loped off to the centre for the restart. And as the
ball was passed across the field the first half ended.
The yellows felt hard done by; a goal down due to what they saw as an
incompetent ref who shouldn't be on the pitch!
But as the second half started, the tired man looked younger, a spring in his
step. Yes it was the same ref but things had definitely changed. A few choice
words during the break by his assistants has changed his outlook on the game.
He no longer carried a tepid whistle, but one that easily awoke the man asleep
in the back of the stands. So with the first scything tackle of the half, his whistle
sounded like crack of thunder and the yellow card literary flew from his pocket.
Both coaches exchanged glances, but the lads didn't learn. Another late tackle,
with the yellow player’s face planted in the penalty area, his opposite number
received a card.
The game ended as a draw, 12 cautions and players left wondering what had
happened in the second half.
As a referee you cannot come into the game with emotional baggage. You
have to leave it at the door. You have to be focused from the very first whistle.
Lean on assistants if needed. Remember you are a team. In this game the ref
did. While we all have personal problems, we have to be professional, as John
was in the second half.
TOUCHLINES is published by the Sutton Referees’ Society.
Editor: Mike Coen
Email: [email protected]
The reproduction of articles and news is welcomed by the Society.
Please, however, ensure to mention Touchlines and we would also like
to receive a copy of those publications which reproduce any of our
articles, either in whole or in part.
The opinions expressed in TOUCHLINES merely reflect the views
of the authors and are not binding in any way on the editor or
any official.
Front cover photo with kind permission of
Gary Brigden (SCR President & Press Officer):
Rod van Niekerk:
Combined Counties Premier Division – March 2016
Sutton Common Rovers -v- Spelthorne Sports. 2
Fez
3
Hello Everyone!!
With my car having been off the road since
before Christmas and having had to use
public transport on several occasions to
reach some distant grounds, it was almost a
relief when the garage finally admitted
defeat in the search for the elusive electrical
issue. So my 20-year old green machine
has bitten the dust and is now starring on
eBay as a ‘spares or repair’. I’ve picked up
a Ford Focus for what seems a pretty decent
price and my travel situation is much
improved as a result. All seems OK but I’ll
keep my fingers crossed until it gets through
its next MOT in September!
Not one but two presentations will be there
to be enjoyed by those who attend next
Thursday’s meeting:
Fitness of the referee will be a recap of last
year’s referees who did the Sutton United
pre-season friendlies. Two of our referees
wore stat-gathering technology during these
games and Fez will be presenting the results
of his subsequent analysis.
Continuing our theme of young referees,
following Declan’s February presentation,
our own Jordan Crichlow will be talking
about his career so far as a referee - both
ups and downs – and it will be interesting to
see where fellow officials have experienced
similar situations. He will also talk on his
impressions of what it should take to reach
the top, based on what he has been told by
his peers who have been there and done it
themselves.
Let’s please have a good turnout on the
evening!
See you on the park,
or at Gander Green
Lane.
Mike.
Editor’s Notes From the Chair
Dear Colleagues,
Last months meeting was a very enjoyable
event with our guest speaker, Jimmy
Bolton, giving a tremendous insight into his
long career both on the playing side and
managing side. The only disappointment
was the poor turnout from the membership
with only 10 members in attendance.
For the want of repeating myself, Fez puts
an awful lot of effort in arranging speakers
to attend and it would be so much more
rewarding if members could attend the
monthly meetings.
You will be aware that the AGM this year
will take place during our May meeting and
there will be at least 2 committee places up
for grabs. After 15 years as a referee I have
decided to officially hang up the whistle, so
will be standing down as Chairman and
President. Also, Keith our treasurer will be
away travelling the world for much of next
season so will no longer be in a position to
run the accounts on a monthly basis. It is
vital that these 2 positions are filled at the
AGM, so I would ask everyone to give
some thought as to if they would be in a
position to take on either of the roles.
If any member would like more detailed
information on either of the roles then
please just ask, it is very important that
these are filled at the AGM.
I look forward to seeing you at the April
meeting.
Grant Sheavyn
Chairman
Sutton & District Referee Society
Minutes of March Meeting that took place on 10th March, 2016 at Sutton Utd FC
Chairman
Grant welcomed everybody and reiterated that this years AGM would be held in May.
Apologies for Absence
Peter Watson, Neil Stitch, Simeon Potter, Keith Rogers and Emma Delaney.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
All present were asked were there any matters arising from previous minutes. None were raised.
Proposed as true copy by Keith and seconded by Wayne.
Hon Secretary`s Report/Correspondence
None.
Any other business
None.
Guest Speaker
Grant introduced Jimmy Bolton, our guest speaker for the evening, who talked about his career at Chelsea, Spurs,
Wimbledon etc.
4
Training Officer’s Report – April 2016
The season might be drawing to a close but the training still continues! Two full courses are
organised already, with a third in the pipeline, plus Mini Soccer dates – all to take place before the
end of September. So, if you know anyone who’s interested in becoming a referee, go to the
Surrey FA website and follow the links for referee courses. Applicants will be invited to the
Welcome to Refereeing events held during the summer (assuming there is one!).
Recent data from previous courses within the past year have shown that a considerable number of
candidates have completed their 5 games. The time period to achieve this has been much reduced
to 4 calendar months, which goes some way in explaining these encouraging figures.
Those of you who have applied for promotion will be invited to attend a Promotion IST during the
summer. This is mandatory, as failure to attend will result in your removal from the promotion
scheme. Whereas last year the focus was on Positioning & Movement, this year’s topic will
concentrate on the management of players and non-players in a variety of scenarios. Some
referees in the promotion scheme have already received their first assessments.
The feedback from the Cup Final IST in March at Imber Court was very positive, and ideas for new
material are under consideration.
What about the tutors? They need training as well, thus a full training day for all tutor levels is being
arranged to take place during the summer.
Peter Watson
FA Level 2 Referee Tutor
Treasurer’s Report
Sutton & District Referees' Society Income & Expenditure A/C as at 04/03/16
Accounting Period 01/04/15 to 31/03/16
Income £
Members' Fees 903.00
Miscellaneous 25.00
FA Cup Final Tickets
148.00
Supplies 0.00
Total Income 1,076.00
Expenditure £
RAE fees 598.00
Miscellaneous 133.55
Surrey County RA fees -
FA Cup Final Tickets 282.00
Supplies -
Total Expenditure £1,013.55
Surplus for period 62.45
Balance b/f from 31/03/15 £1,655.27
Society's Balance as at 4/3/16 £1,717.72
Notes: Income - nil
Expenditure - £40.80, refund of RS members’
full kit discount to Supplies Officer.
Membership: Currently 40 members including 6
youth members.
Keith Rodger
Two retired footballers, Ernie and Jim, sit on a park bench feeding pigeons and talking about
football.
Ernie turns to Jim and asks, “Do you think there’s football in Heaven?”
Jim thinks for a moment and replies, “Who knows? But let’s make a deal. If I die first, I’ll come
back and tell you if there’s football in Heaven and, if you die first, you do the same.”
They shake on it and sadly, a few months later, poor Ernie passes on.
Soon afterwards, Jim sits in the park feeding the pigeons by himself and hears a voice whisper:
“Jim! Jim!”
“Ernie”, Jim replies. “Is that you?”
“Yes it is”, whispers Ernie’s ghost.
Jim, still amazed, asks, “So – is there football in Heaven?”
“Well”, says Ernie. “I’ve got good news and bad news”.
“The good news first”, says Jim.
“Well – there’s football in Heaven!”, says Ernie.
Jim says, “That’s great! What news could be bad enough to ruin that?”
Ernie signs and whispers, “You’re playing in goal on Tuesday!” (Adapted from Readers Digest) 5
Sutton’s Super Refs
Peter Chmielinski
LFFA Junior Cup Final Civil Service -v- HSBC Sat 2nd Apr
Mike Coen
Women’s FA Cup Round 4 Brighton & Hove Alb’n Ladies -v- Blackburn Rovers Ladies Sun 13th Mar
Morden & District Senior Cup Final Kingston Uni -v- Mayfair Utd Vets OR Wimbledon Royals Sun 24th Apr
Declan Wyatt
Surrey & Hants Border League - Twyford Pollard Cup Semi-Final
Woking & Maybury -v- J B Rangers (Assistant) Sun 3rd Apr
Barclays Premier League U18 Fulham U18 -v- Everton U18 (Assistant) Sat 16th Apr
Surrey County U14 Cup Final Barnes Eagles U14 -v- Esher Wizards U14 Sun 24th Apr
Rod van Niekerk
Leatherhead & Dist Junior Cup Final Epsom Rgs -v- Wandgas Worcester Park Fri 15th Apr
Surrey FA Sunday Premier Cup Final British Airways -v- AFC Barnes (Assistant) Fri 29th Apr
Sutton & Dist Vets League Cup Final Sporting Kitz -v- Southborough Thu 12th May
Sth’rn Sunday Lg Blunstone Cup Final Hope & Horns -v- Battersea Pk Rgs (Assistant) Sun 15th May
Dominic Solly
Surrey County FA Girls U12 Cup Final AFC Wimbledon Girls -v- Barnes Eagles Girls Sun 1st May
Referee Bill is late for a big game and can’t find a parking space anywhere. In desperation he
prays.
“Oh Lord,” he says, “if you can give me a parking space I’ll go to church every Sunday for the rest
of my life and give up beer.”
Amazingly, he immediately spots an empty slot.
“Don’t worry, Lord,” he says, “I’ve found one.”
A referee is pulled over while driving to his game and the officer asks him for his licence. He looks
at it and says, “Sir, your licence says that you should be wearing glasses.”
“I have contacts, officer” the referee replies.
Annoyed by his answer, the officer shouts, “I don’t care who you know! You’re still getting a ticket!”
One ref on our league insisted on turning up to every game with two bags!
It turns out he’s bi-satchel!
(Adapted from Readers Digest)
6
CAPTIONS PLEASE !!!
H a v e y o u a n a m u s i n g c a p t i o n f o r t h e p i c t u r e ?
Email your thoughts to me and I’ll put the best efforts in the next issue.
Antony Edgcombe
- Put your hand in the air if you want free tickets to the Grab a Granny Gala Dance!....Now Wayne, you know you
already have a ticket!
- Put your hand up if you have NOT helped yourself to Goods in the Nike Hospitality Suite!....Now Wayne!!!!!
- Put your hand in the air if you want Jelly and Ice Cream after the match!....Wayne: What, with whipped cream and
sprinkles? OOOH, sounds delicious!
- Who wants to play spot the ball?
- OK, put your hand in the air if your are an overpaid, obnoxious little g__!!
- Cooeee, Reffff…Simple Simon said, ‘Put your right hand in the air!’…You must be out!
- No 13 for Italy wins the Looking like a Tea Pot competition!..."I'm a little Tea Pot, short and stout, here's my handle
and here's my spout"
… a n d L a s t M o n t h ’ s O f f e r i n g s
7
Surrey Youth League A follow-up from Graham Ekins (Chairman)
8
Following last month’s email from Surrey Youth League Chairman, Graham Ekins, which
was picked up by the media and included in the March edition of Touchlines, the following
has also been sent out:
Dear Everyone
Well what a week that was! I really owe everyone a huge thank you for the 100% support for my
position I emailed out earlier in the week.
As usual my view was one from wearing my heart on my sleeve and it resonated with so many of
you, not just in the league, but country wide, leagues and individuals.
With an inbox that exploded its been a little difficult to come back to you all. Being on the end of
Viral was a new experience. However every email was read, we have huge momentum that I will
now not let go of.
As an update I will be meeting With Surrey County FA this coming week in, Caroline McRoyall
(CEO), Tom Holder (Football Services Manager), our own Frank, to propose some firmish plans
that Frank and I have.
Both Frank and I are on the same page that we can do something significant to turn this around,
and make the match day much more pleasant for the children, the referees and the spectators.
This will in the end be owned by all of us, League Led with more ownership at club level, we want
to give you more teeth. Once this is formulated then I will be calling together a number of clubs to
test the idea in a workshop or two, and then we will seek to get this adopted at the AGM ready for
roll out next season.
To help us move this through I will help to galvanise this with the media who have supported us, we
reached the media at national level as a couple of the parents of children in the league hold
significant positions in the media. They I know will help us provide a balanced view, and publicise
the progress of a new initiative to tackle this problem at source, the power will be with the children -
watch this space.
I promise you I will not let up now, so from a point of despair, I am now energised to move forward
and do my best to stamp out the undercurrent of abuse and bad behaviour that leads to the events
I highlighted – Frank is still clearing the mess up.
Please go and enjoy tomorrow, cascade this information out, and give everyone some hope that
we will fix this. Please start tomorrow by making this bad behaviour socially unacceptable, just
challenge people to behave, please be brave, we have the weight of everyone in the country
behind us.
I will update you all soon.
Regards
Graham Ekins
SYL Chairman
March’s Guest Speaker Jimmy Bolton – ex Chelsea, Spurs & Wimbledon
Sometimes it’s good to simply hear football
stories without slanting it towards the
referee’s outlook.
March’s meeting gave us a chance to do just
that with the visit of Jimmy Bolton, once of
Chelsea, Spurs and Wimbledon and having
represented England at a young level before
injury throttled back the career he might
otherwise have had.
Jimmy came with a raft of stories about his
time at the various clubs and his later stint in
the Swedish league before managing at
Tooting and Mitcham and Carshalton Athletic.
He also spoke about having the chance to
represent his country again when selected for
the non-league England Team.
Entertaining and often amusing, it was a
shame more of our members could not make
it on the night as those of us present enjoyed
it immensely.
9
April’s Speaker One of our own – Jordan Crichlow
One of our younger members – Jordan
Crichlow – pictured here with Howard Webb,
will be taking the floor at our meeting on 14th
April to talk about what he has done so far as a
referee – covering some of his highs and lows –
and looking for feedback where other members
may have experienced similar.
He will also share his opinions on what it might
take to reach the top as a referee, based on
what he has been told by others who have been
there and done it themselves.
It would be great to have a decent attendance
on the evening.
.…in the Referee’s Opinion….
Your Thoughts, Questions and Comments
Hi Mike.
Thanks as always for such a full and informative edition.
David Elleray is a practical sort of chap and I am pleased to see he wants to allow referees to use
a most welcome common-sense approach to some areas of the laws. Just like Michael Oliver did
when Yaya Toure took off his shirt at the end point of the penalty shoot-out last week against
Liverpool.
“There’s two sides on this pitch, Ref!!” How many times have we heard this on the football
field? Normally from the disgruntled player who’s never been taught how to tackle and can’t
understand why all the free kicks are being awarded against his team.
I heard a new one this Sunday though. After the award of a hotly disputed penalty, which took a
semi-final to 2-0, the dissent from the losing side went up a few more notches until even my
tolerance was being tested. Pete R would have had at least five in the book, with his no-prisoners
approach this season, by the time I decided enough was enough and hauled out the first card.
10
Normally even the densest of Sunday Morning footballers
take the hint at that point and tongues throttle back a bit.
Not this lot though and ten minutes later, after several
suggestions to calm down, the third dissent caution was
duly administered.
Cue the captain - who might have been better advised to
offer advice to his teammates – who strolled up and
offered, “You’ve been telling us to calm down. Three
yellows? I think it’s you who needs to calm down!”
I looked around and indicated the clearly frustrated faces. Trying hard not to smile too broadly, I
suggested, “Take another look, Skip. I think it’s fair to say I’m the calmest bloke out here”.
Mike Coen
Continued on Page 11...
David says there will be a complete overhaul of the wording. Well, I still think some of the basic
areas of our laws need some amendment, for example:
The introduction of a card for shirt removal was not that
it might offend the female members in the crowd, but to
minimise the risk of inciting the opposition spectators. I
well remember the ludicrous sending-off of a Bristol
Rovers player who took off his shirt when the excitement
of his scoring the winning goal to take his teammates to
a Wembley Play-Off Final got to him. He had already
been cautioned so the poor ‘ole referee had to send him
off and he missed the final – ludicrously ridiculous in the
extreme! If he had spun his shirt directly in front of the
opposition supporters then I could perhaps understand
the punishment a little better.
...Continued from page 14
• Some pedantic member, sitting on the IFAB a few seasons back,
introduced extra wording into the Offside law to say that if any part of
the body with which a player can play the ball (nose, kneecap, big toe,
Willian’s or Fellaini’s hairstack, …) is ahead of the last outfield
defender, then he is offside.
This missive made for a massive level of pressure being thrust upon a
match official. The game is much faster these days and it is humanly
impossible for an Assistant to ALWAYS be dead inline to make this
very narrow judgement.
The original reason for the introduction of the Offside law was to
remove the boredom of seeing a ball pumped up to a forward who is
permanently goal-hanging for him to control and plonk into goal. It
must have been as boring as seeing Ivan Lendl win every rocket-
serve, every time. Surely it is an opportune time to simply say ... an
attacking player is in an Offside position if there is CLEAR DAYLIGHT
between him and the last outfield defender. Simple!
• If a team can take a GOAL KICK from anywhere in their goal area, then why cannot a corner kick
be taken from either corner arc?
Best Wishes
Jack Blakemore, President Wirral RA.
• If a team wins the toss-up at the beginning of a game, for some
illogical reasoning they are ONLY ALLOWED TO CHOOSE WHICH
WAY TO KICK. Why? If you win something, why can you not simply
have a choice to have the kick-off? If a team wins the toss-up for a
penalty shoot-out, they can choose to go first or second – so why no
choice when you win the toss to start the game?
Just my own personal views. Anyone agree with me down there?
…While we’re at it, how about the over-the-top tape-on-socks ruling which causes parks referees
so much grief. Let’s face it, in Division 7 of the local pub league, we’re lucky to see 11 players in
the same colour shorts, let alone matching socks. So when a young ref is going for his first
promotion and has to demand that that single stripe of black tape must be removed from a blue
sock, he automatically becomes ‘Busy’.
OK, so when the Ronaldo wannabe turns his lower leg into something that you might expect to find
inside a pyramid, we may have an issue…but really?
How about, “If, in the referee’s opinion, the colour of tape used on a sock could cause confusion as
to the actual sock colour, then that tape must be removed”.
And why, again on the parks when you’re a team of one, is there any problem with a referee having
the choice of using a different-colour shirt when one of the team’s dark shirts could cause some
confusion?
Ed. 11
The score is 1 - 1 in the 2nd leg of a semi-final, meaning the
away side are leading 2-3 on aggregate.
The away side are awarded a throw in in their own half but the
player taking it seems to be taking an age to make up his mind
who to throw it to.
The home side are getting agitated and make it clear that they
believe he is wasting time deliberately.
Ken Pople: Order him to take the throw and caution if you feel he is deliberately timewasting.
Those options would be applicable irrespective of time left, as you would add time on for time
wasting.
Neil Sitch: It's your call as the ref! I would probably just tell the guy to hurry up but, if he has been
warned or it's obvious he is delaying, then hit him with a yellow card and allow him to proceed.
Yes, you would also add the time on for the delay and the booking.
Rod van Niekerk: If the ref thinks the player is time wasting, he would be within his rights to
caution.
Jerzy Dabrowski: There are various things to consider, mainly whether the player or the team had
been warned already for time wasting. If they had been warned then I would book the culprit and
resume play. If the team had not wasted time before then I would give one warning and if the
throw was still not taken then I would book the player.
John Martin: You as referee are the sole judge of time and, if you feel the player is deliberately
time wasting, encourage the player to hurry and, if he doesn’t, a caution can be given. Any wasted
time can be added to the end of the half.
Mike Coen: In my opinion, it depends on where we are in the game.
If we are still in the first half, it’s a little early for timewasting to be taking place. Call loudly for the
player to get on with it (‘Let’s go please, player’ or similar). Then take the next opportunity (while
running past him) to keep things moving. If he does it again, he gets one more very public warning
and, if he still does it yet again, he gets a caution for delaying the restart.
If we are in the second half, then I would still give one chance for the team to get on with it but my
shout would be very clear (something like ‘Keep it moving – I’m adding this on’) to show everyone
that you understand what he is doing. If he, or another team mate, does it again and it is clear to
everyone that time is being deliberately wasted, then blow the whistle. Caution the player for
delaying the restart, making it clear to the other side that you will be adding time accordingly. Ball
is not in play, so the restart is still for the player to take the throw.
In such cases, it is important that you are your own judge in what constitutes a reasonable time for
a player to take a throw. The other side will be calling for time-wasting unless they see the player
actually sprinting to collect the ball, so do not allow yourself to be influenced by such shouts.
What action, if any, do you take – and would it make a difference depending on how much
time had been played?
Chris Robinson
Further comment from Chris Robinson: “The reason why I posed that scenario was what seemed
to happen in the 2nd half of the Man City v Everton Carling Cup semi-final at the end of January.
John Stones was taking a throw in for Everton but seemed to be time-wasting. He was certainly
taking undue time and I expected the ref to caution him.
Continued on Page 13... 12
Before he actually threw the ball, the referee (Mark Atkinson) whistled and gave the throw in to
Man City instead. Needless to say they scored from the move arising from it.
Unless he had actually taken a foul throw, I can't see how Atkinson could have awarded the throw
to the opponents for what simply seemed to be time-wasting! Caution him perhaps but, as you
rightly say, the ball is dead so a re-start cannot be awarded to the opposition. No mention of this
post-match by any match commentators!
Apparently, Atkinson later defended the decision to award the throw in to Man City by saying
Stones had made a foul throw, even though that original throw had not been taken!!!”
You are the assistant referee in an Under-18 Cup Final - White v
Orange – with Whites leading 2-1 midway through the second
half.
A White defender is on the ground - just inside the penalty area
on your side of the pitch – but does not seem badly hurt,
following an earlier challenge. As the Oranges mount another
attack, a forward falls over the grounded defender.
In your opinion, the attacker has simply tripped over the defender
on the ground so you do not flag. The referee is further away but
John Martin: This is a situation that I think we have all encountered. What were the referee’s
instructions? Over the years I have had some right *******s - but if he wants to make all decisions
that’s fine but it is you that is closest to the crowd and you should be a team. In this case I would
flag to the referee and move one step back towards the half way line. Hopefully he would get the
message and, if he is man enough to admit a possible error, he will approach you and hear your
version.
Chris Robinson: Assist the referee by flagging to ask why he awarded the penalty and advise that
in your view, no offence was committed by the grounded defender, if that was the reason for the
penalty. If so, the ref can then have the chance to order re-start by a contested dropped ball at the
point where the ball was when play was stopped.
Neil Sitch: Ah! Really depends on what the referee’s instructions were but I would be inclined to
raise my flag or gain eye contact. Presumably, when he agrees, start with a drop ball from where
play was stopped. Hopefully the ref would listen as it's your territory!
Mike Coen: In my opinion, the referee having already made his decision would require no
assistance in this case so the assistant should do nothing other than make his way to the edge of
the area so as to be in position for the penalty (unless the referee had given pre-match instructions
to the contrary but that would be extremely unusual). Just because the assistant has a different
opinion to the referee, it would not be enough to warrant a flag once a clear decision has already
been made and signaled. Any such interference would almost certainly affect the referee’s match
control. If the referee wanted assistance in that instance, he would have made that clear with the
big questioning stare. Only then would the assistant give the shake of the head for 'No' or the big
signal for 'Yes'.
Continued on Page 14... 13
...Continued from page 14
looking at the incident from the other side. He immediately blows for a penalty.
On the touchline, you find yourself with supporters of the defending side shouting to you
that it was clearly not a penalty. Defenders are also surrounding the referee and objecting
loudly. What, if anything, should you do?
Alan Donovan
…Continued from Page 12
14 Continued on Page 15...
Ken Pople: Flag the ref. Tell him your view of what occurred. If you feel he has got it wrong, you
must express that to him. He can then overturn it, if he agrees, before the kick is taken. The
important thing is for the correct decision to come out of it from the officials, albeit late.
Fez Barnard: Assuming that you don't have mikes, you could make eye contact with the ref with a
view to explain your thoughts but, as the ref immediately whistled for a penalty, it is unlikely that
he'll walk over to you, let alone change his mind. So don't stand there waving your flag and
shouting, ‘No penalty’. You're the AR and there to assist and not insist. Do your job. The ref would
have covered this in the pre-game talk so keep your flag down. The referee should be able to
handle defenders remonstrating, issuing cards if required.
Rod van Niekerk: Only if the ref seeks your opinion, should you let him know what you think.
Jerzy Dabrowski: A lot will depend on the instructions given to me by the referee beforehand. If
he told me not to intervene for freekicks or penalties under any circumstances then I would keep
my flag down. If, however, he/she made it clear that I could intervene then I would bring it to their
attention and tell them what I saw.
Further comment from Alan Donovan (the actual assistant on the night): “I will now let you know
what actually happened! I did nothing as I felt that - as the referee had made a positive decision
knowing where the incident took place - he must have clearly seen something as otherwise he
would have left it to me.
To flag and call him over to discuss the incident would only have made any aggro he was getting
from players worse.
The outcome was that the defending team had a player sent off (for using offensive language when
the referee went to caution him for dissent) and the orange team went on to win the game 4-3 after
extra time.
When discussed with the referee, he said he saw the player on the ground raise a leg which is why
he gave the penalty. I think what I did was correct but would be interested to know if referees who
assist regularly would have done the same thing!”
On a bitterly cold day, a striker wears two official
shirts at once – his original and an identical
replacement.
But in the second half he overheats, so throws
one to a young fan during a stoppage.
He’s already on a yellow! What do you do?
Rod van Niekerk: No need to take any action.
Chris Robinson: Nothing. He may have removed an official shirt but has not revealed anything
beneath other than another one. No offence committed.
Neil Sitch: Didn't see it!
John Martin: Use common sense.
Jerzy Dabrowski: Apply Law 18 - common sense. No offence.
Mike Coen: No offence has been committed. It’s only shirt removal as part of a goal celebration
that is deemed to be an offence. Technically, he may have briefly left the field to throw his shirt to
the young fan but it would be overzealous of any referee to produce a card in these circumstances.
Late in the second half, you ask a player with
blood on his shirt to leave the pitch and change
it.
As play continues, he grabs a new shirt and races
back on but, in his haste, has put it on inside-out,
obscuring his name and number.
Do you stop play?
John Martin: Stop play. Caution the player for entering the field of play without your authority (or
ensuring blood is no longer flowing). Tell him to dress himself properly and restart with an indirect
free kick.
Mike Coen: The regular ‘entering the field without the referee’s permission’ has been exacerbated
in this case due to any blood injury requiring inspection during a stoppage before a player is
allowed to return. Normally I would wait for the next stoppage, or until that player interferes with
play, before taking action but, due to the blood safety issue, in this case I would stop play
immediately. The player would be cautioned and instructed to leave the field and put his shirt on
correctly. He would then need to wait for another stoppage before referee or assistant could check
that the new shirt is blood-free.
Rod van Niekerk: No - unless he plays the ball. Wait till the ball is dead then send him to the
sideline to dress himself properly. Only let him on once he has been checked by you or the a/r. He
could be cautioned for re-entry without permission.
Chris Robinson: Yes, stop play, because he has apparently re-entered the field without your
permission, so show him a yellow card too. An "injured" player who seeks to return to the field must
only do so with the Ref's knowledge and permission. Inform him that he must put the shirt on
correctly and get your permission before returning to the field of play. Also ensure that the bleeding
problem is resolved satisfactorily. Re-start play with an indirect free kick to the opponents, taken
where the ball was when play was stopped.
Jerzy Dabrowski: As long as the colour of the inside of the shirt matched the outside of the shirt
and in no way could be mistaken for the opposition kit then I would leave it until a more opportune
moment to come to tell him to change it.
Ken Pople: If the ref has asked the player officially to leave the field, then he shouldn't have
returned till the ref says he can, so a possible caution offence as he has now done so. Order him
off until play has stopped.
Neil Sitch: I would send him back off to replace the shirt correctly and let play continue then wave
him back on when he is properly attired!
15 Continued on Page 16...
Keith Hackett says: “Nothing. The laws state that a player who removes his shirt “after scoring a
goal” is cautioned for unsporting behaviour. There’s no reason to penalise this player: he can wear
two identical layers if he’s cold, and he can take one off if that changes. If he left the field without
permission to hand this shirt to a fan then that could pose a booking risk – but use some common
sense. Get on with the game.”
...Continued from page 13
Keith Hackett says: “Yes, but not because the shirt is the wrong way round. He went off under
Law 4 (concerning players’ equipment), so cannot return until the ball is out of play and you have
checked the condition of the new shirt. You need to deal with this by stopping the game, showing
him a yellow card for coming back on without your permission, and then having him change again
so his shirt number is visible. Restart with an indirect free-kick to the opposition, taken from the
point where the ball was when you stopped the game.”
While you try to control a wild touchline melee, the
away side sneakily swap a defender for a striker from
their bench.
You only realise when the striker scores the winner
moments later.
What now?
Jerzy Dabrowski: I would disallow the goal, assuming that the game had not restarted. Then I
would book the forward for entering the FOP without permission and book the defender for leaving
the FOP without permission. I would restart play with an indirect free kick from the half way line
assuming that is where the player ran onto the pitch.
Neil Sitch: Tell myself off for not noticing and report to the appropriate authority afterwards. Is this
misconduct by the club? Surely it is. If you haven't authorised his entry then he can't score a
goal!! Unsure as to how you would restart! I'm guessing a goal kick - but put me out of my
misery! Two yellows for the attacker and the defender for entering and leaving the field of play.
Mike Coen: Aaarrggh – Trouble to be dealt with. Disallow the goal. Yellow each for the two
players involved (leaving / entering without permission). The manager will be reported for his
misconduct after the game, so let him know you are not happy with him. Restart is tricky! I’m
thinking an indirect free kick from the point at which the striker first got involved with play (or where
you first noticed him getting involved with play) so from wherever he took the shot.
Rod van Niekerk: Disallow the goal. Caution the player for entering without permission. Caution
the team mate for leaving without permission. Restart with an indirect free kick to the opposition.
Chris Robinson: Without touching on the touchline melee, disallow the goal and show the player
who came on without your permission a yellow card before inviting him to leave the field. Also
show the defender who left the field without your permission a yellow card (and a red if they had
already been cautioned for something else). Check if all subs had been used already and, if not,
allow the attacker back onto the field as a sub. If they had, order the "subbed" defender back on
(unless he was red carded) and report the management which allowed this farce to the League in
any event.
...Continued from page 14
Keith Hackett says: “A nightmare! You and your colleagues should never have allowed this to
happen, but as it has, here’s how to unravel it. First, disallow the goal. Second, caution the striker
for coming on without permission, and send him back to the bench. Third, caution the player who
went off without permission, and have him return to the pitch. And fourth, approach the manager.
Tell him you will be reporting his conduct – he can expect severe sanctions – and ask if he now
wants to make a lawful substitution. Restart with a goal-kick.”
Don’t Forget - Original YATR scenarios may be found every
Friday on the Guardian website, showing the questions that
will appear in the Observer the following Sunday. The
answers then appear on the Monday.
www.guardian.co.uk/football/you-are-the-ref 16
Two for the price of One Spotted by Jerzy Dabrowski
Check the Net !!! Snippets pulled from the World Wide Web
Two balls on the pitch? No problem! Just throw the extra one at the one that's
in play!
See the video on-line at http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=87b_1387166043
The Turkish Super Lig match between
Kasimpasa and Besiktas saw an
innovative new defending technique.
While Besiktas mounted an attack, a
second ball was thrown onto the pitch
and Kasimpasa defender Ryan Donk
picked it up. But instead of immediately
throwing it away or alerting the referee,
he held on to it, perhaps realizing that it
might come in handy.
When Besiktas advanced further with
the actual match ball, Donk made use of
his not so secret weapon and casually
threw the second ball at the one in use, bringing a stop to things before Besiktas could get a shot off.
Though the referee should have stopped play as soon as the second ball entered the pitch, he
showed Donk a yellow card for his ball to ball defending.
[Did you notice the ref’s huge error (as well as the error in the text)?
In the text it said that the referee should have actually stopped play as soon as the second ball came onto the
pitch. That is in fact incorrect. If a second ball comes onto the field, the referee only needs to stop play if
that ball causes interference. In most cases, this will not happen and a player would usually just kick the
ball back off the pitch when they themselves are nowhere near play.
The referee correctly stopped the game once interference occurred and correctly cautioned the defender.
However, he restarted with a drop ball! The correct decision should have been a penalty, as any object
thrown at the ball (keeper’s glove, shinpad, ….second ball that’s come onto the pitch, etc.) counts as an
extension of the arm, so handball! - Ed]
Sounds like a good idea! Spotted by Neil Sitch
Football parents should only be allowed to clap: Hants FA trials 'Silent
Weekend'
http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/14340457.Football_parents_should_only_be_allo
wed_to_clap__Hants_FA_trials__Silent_Weekend_/?ref=trn
Continued on Page 18... 17
Hampshire FA's list of "do nots" for parents included not being allowed to communicate with
coaches or players during the game and they were also told to remain behind the 'Respect'
barriers. Coaches were told not to comment on referee's decisions or wander up and down the
touchline during the game.
A spokesman from Hampshire FA said: "The main purpose of the Silent Weekend was to provoke
thought and discussion regarding the current match day environment in youth football. "We also
wanted to underline the importance of the FA’s Respect programme and how everyone involved in
the game plays a significant role in implementing this."
The Silent Weekend, which was run on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6, was only a pilot
and Hampshire FA says it has no intention of enforcing silence at all games across the county.
Feedback from the weekend will be analysed and the findings will be published in a report.
...Continued from page 19
PARENTS have been issued with a set of guidelines to stop
parents and coaches shouting from the touchline at children's
football matches. Hampshire Football Association has piloted a
code of conduct which asks parents not to cheer during games
but to give plenty of applause instead.
Hampshire FA said the guidelines would help "create a positive
and pressure-free environment in which children can enjoy
football and learn to love and develop in the game.”
Coaches and spectators at youth matches last weekend took
part in the trial called Silent Weekend. The idea was
essentially to stop parents shouting from the touchline which
officials claim can intimidate children.
Referees live in fear as grass-roots
game spirals out of control Spotted by Kevin Fraser of XL Catlin
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2016/03/21/exclusive-referees-live-in-fear-as-grass-
roots-game-spirals-out/
The full scale of the “shocking” verbal and physical abuse that is being endured by football referees
across England can today be revealed. An investigation by The Telegraph has uncovered a
catalogue of incidents that have reduced match officials to tears, prompted threats of a strike and
led Keith Hackett, the former referees’ chief who helped launch the Respect campaign in 2008, to
declare that the Football Association does “not have a clue” about the scale of the grass-roots
problem.
A major new independent study into the issue has also shown that 60 per cent of referees
experience significant verbal abuse in at least one in two games, while more than 19 per cent say
they have endured physical abuse. The FA is adamant that the Respect campaign remains a
priority and reports an overall decline in reported cases of dissent in senior football, although there
was a rise lower down the pyramid last season. The most recent figures for children’s football
showed that there were 3,731 incidents of misconduct involving adults in a 15-month period.
Continued on Page 19... 18
...Continued from page 19
Many referees, however, have told The Telegraph that the real figures are much higher as they do
not report abuse, either out of fear or because they have lost faith in the ability of the county FAs to
punish offenders quickly.
Paul Cooper, the president of the Sheffield Referees’ Association, said that one vastly experienced
referee in his 50s had been moved to tears this season after being “given hell” and prodded in the
chest by players. “If it is getting to someone like him, something is not right,” he said.
Another Yorkshire referee, who is only 22, was subjected to a death threat on social media after
being abused at the end of an under-18 game this month. Cooper, himself, has recently reported a
match when he alleges that he was abused by a player and a spectator. “The player came into my
face and said he would have me in the car park,” said Cooper.
Rob Was, the president of the Middlesex Referees’ Association, has similar concerns. “We had a
recent incident after a 17-year-old referee cautioned a player for dissent,” he said. “The parents
approached him and wouldn’t let him into his car. They then blocked the car in. He didn’t want to
report the incident to the police and the team is still in the league.
“Another young referee was brought to tears at a tournament when a parent ran on and abused
him. I told the organisers. They had a quiet word with the team when they should have been kicked
out and the parent told to leave the site. I have been assaulted two or three times and it does make
you question why you do it. But you know it is a minority and you think: ‘Why should one idiot ruin it
for everyone.'”
Case study 1: An official speaks
Holly Warmington Age 19, Student, years refereeing 4
Holly Warmington started refereeing when she was 15 in
2011
“I got in with my local club and was refereeing Under-
10s,” she says. “I really enjoyed that. I then started doing
the Kent Youth League and that was when I experienced a
lot of verbal abuse. I had a few incidents when people
were calling me out for being a girl and not knowing the
rules. You brush that off but it got worse and worse.
“Then, in February last year at an under-12 game, I made
a decision not to send a boy off. The parent of the boy
who had been fouled came over at the end. He was
swearing, screaming and shouting at me and then proceeded to poke me in the chest. I’m 5ft 5in. He
was coming on for 6ft 5in and very intimidating. I had two managers stood next to me and they did
nothing.
“I filed a misconduct report and explained exactly what happened. I expected a call or email but I never
received anything. A few months later I turned up at a match and the same parent was there. I was
petrified. I thought if I made a decision that he did not agree with, I would be in serious harm. I
thought, 'If that is going to be how I feel turning up, I don’t want to put myself in that situation’.
“The Kent FA emailed to ask why I wasn’t going to be a referee any more. The biggest issue was the
support around the incident. I explained why I was so shocked that I did not hear anything. The
response basically was 'man up’. I felt that they weren’t looking out for my safety.”
19 Continued on Page 20...
...Continued from page 19
Case study 2: An official speaks
Phil Trask Age 50, Chef, years refereeing 24
Phil Trask has served in the armed forces in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. But the most
vulnerable he has felt? It was refereeing in a local
Saturday game this year in Norfolk.
“I have served my country but have always had a team
around me,” he says. “In refereeing, it is different. You
are alone. I started in 1991 through the Army but this
incident made me question whether I want to go on. It
was between two local rivals and I sent two players off.
“After the game, one of them was offering players from
the other team outside. Then he saw me. That was like a
red rag to a bull. It was very intimidating. I thought I
was going to get assaulted. He was then waiting for me
outside. He had another go. Another guy took him away and I got in the car. I was gone. I was very upset because, after giving so much to the game, it made me
not want to referee any more.
“For me to get frightened must have taken a lot. I got home, had a chat with my wife, took a lot of
advice and decided it would be sad to finish like that. I love football, I love refereeing and nine times
out of 10 it is brilliant. I will be back out but it is only a matter of time before a referee is seriously
hurt. The Respect campaign is dead in the water. It’s yesterday’s news.”
20
Case study 3: An official speaks
Clive Steward, Age 69, Retired, years refereeing 30
Clive Steward is in his 30th season as a referee in
Swansea but, in 2009, was the victim of an assault by a
parent after an under-13s match.
“I was 63 at the time, he was 37, and he just hit me once
from behind and ran off,” he says. “I was hospitalised
with a broken nose. I had 19 stitches.
“For several years it would come back to me in the night.
My incident was extreme. It was someone really outside
the subject of football. He went to prison. He had 90
previous convictions. I don’t want to be remembered for
that. If you give up for something like that, it is the
wrong reason.
“You still get the odd spectator who only sees his son
and no one else. I wouldn’t say it has got worse. It is always going to be there. It’s a frustrating subject. I chat to refs and they have various hot-spots.
People are what they are. If I think I am going to struggle, I pull the two captains together, calm it
down, take half a minute off.
“You know you are on your own when you put your kit on. You are a diplomat rather than a dictator. I
would still recommend it. I do on average 90 to 100 games a year. I do juniors in the morning, seniors
in the afternoon. I’ve done nearly 3,000 games. I’d do one every day if I could. I love it.” Continued on Page 21...
...Continued from page 19
The new research into referees’ experiences, which was commissioned by the universities at
Loughborough, Portsmouth and Edge Hill, and will be published this year, showed deep frustration
at the disciplinary processes.
“What we are being told is that referees are often not reporting incidents because they are scared
about repercussions, feel nothing will be done or they won’t get supported,” said Dr Jamie Cleland,
of Loughborough University. “Many just want the match to end and then get out of there. It
suggests that the actual reported number of incidents is the tip of the iceberg and not
representative of the full scale of the problem.
“In terms of the Respect campaign, there have been some gains but there is a sense that it has run
out of steam and is not being consistently enforced.”
More than 2,000 referees were surveyed, with Cleland describing some of the personal testimonies
as “quite harrowing”. They included a case of racism at an under-13 game. “The lack of respect
shown for match officials is both disgraceful and disgusting,” said one 19-year-old referee. “If the
Respect campaign is having a positive effect, I dread to think of how bad respect was 10 years
ago.”
Another respondent reported an assault. “I got attacked from behind and kicked repeatedly while
unconscious,” he said. “I was not supported at all well by the county or national FA. I felt like I was
the one on trial.”
Another wrote: “I have had a player go for me. I should have sent him off but he was such a
nutcase I really feared for my personal safety. I didn’t want to be looking over my shoulder when I
was out and about. More importantly, on the day I just wanted to get home without being attacked.”
The FA is urging all referees to report incidents and has stressed that, since the start of the
Respect campaign in 2008, the number of officials has risen from 22,000 to 27,000. However, the
yearly ‘churn’ rate of those leaving is estimated to be around 6,000-7,000. Around 80 per cent of
grass-roots games have a referee.
Kelly Simmons, the FA participation and development director, said that her feedback was that the
environment for youth football was markedly improved but acknowledged that adult grass-roots
football was more challenging. “We haven’t taken our foot off the gas at all,” she said. “It’s a long-
term, ongoing programme.”
Laurence Jones, a former referee, who is now the FA head of clubs and leagues, appealed for
more refereeing mentors but was adamant that the support structure around officials “is the best it
has ever been”.
The FA also pointed to last year’s grass-roots survey in which 16 per cent of referees said they
intended to be involved less, against 33 per cent who were likely to do more. Also, from 3,591
responses, 24 per cent were satisfied with on-field behaviour and 26 per cent with spectators’
conduct, against respective dissatisfaction levels of 12 and 13 per cent. “When there is serious
abuse, physical abuse, those responsible can expect a lifelong football ban – it won’t be tolerated,”
said Simmons.
Cooper, the referee from Sheffield, only hopes this is true. “We do it for the love of the game,” he
says. “There is nothing we want more than just to ref the match, see 22 people enjoying
themselves, do our best and not be abused or threatened. Is that really too much to ask?”
21
After Manchester United scored an offside goal against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup, PGMOL have
issued clarification on the offside rule to try and stop further incidents happening in the future.
During the game, United lined up for a freekick on the edge of the Shrewsbury box. Three United
players positioned themselves in an offside position directly in front of the keeper with the aim of
blocking his view.
Referees’ governing body issue guidance
after Manchester United offside goal Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://dailycannon.com/2016/02/referees-governing-body-issue-guidance-after-manchester-
united-offside-goal/
players standing in an offside position when a free-kick is taken.
“Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) issued this guidance to clear up
misunderstandings that arose following the goal awarded to Manchester United in their FA Cup
fifth-round tie against Shrewsbury Town on Monday night.”
“The statement continued “In situations where an attacking player adopts an offside position for a
clear tactical purpose, and then remains in an offside position when the ball is last touched/played
by a team-mate, they “run the risk” of being penalised for interfering with an opponent, if they:
• a) clearly obstruct the line of vision of an opponent
• or b) make an obvious action that clearly impacts the ability of an opponent to play the ball.
“In the FA Cup match between Shrewsbury Town and Manchester United, Juan Mata, the United
No 8, is preparing to take a free-kick while three team-mates (Nos 35, 21 and 9) clearly move into
an offside position and remain positioned side-by-side, in effect creating a “wall”.
“It is evident that the three players’ position has a clear tactical purpose.
“When Mata takes the free-kick all three players remain in an offside position and make a clear
movement towards the edge of the penalty area.
“In determining “tactical purpose”, match officials should consider the following physical evidence:
• Proximity and position of the attacking player(s) in an offside position relative to the opponent
(usually the goalkeeper)
As the free kick taker ran up
to the ball, the trio attempted
to get back onside but failed.
The goal stood.
A statement on the Premier
League website this week
said “The Premier League
has this week written to its
clubs to provide guidance
regarding the offside law. The
guidance is in relation to
Continued on Page 23... 22
• Obvious action (including movement) of the attacking player(s) in an offside position”
“In the situation of the Mata goal in Shrewsbury v Man Utd, the three United players (Nos 35, 21
and 9) position themselves between the ball and the goalkeeper.
“No 21 also looks directly at the goalkeeper when establishing the position of three attacking
players. This emphasises tactical purpose.
“As the free-kick is taken, the three all make a clear movement (or “obvious action”), which clearly
impacts on the ability of an opponent to play the ball (see Figure 2).
...Continued from page 19
“In this, and similar situations, the attacking player(s) in an offside position would be expected to be
penalised for interfering with an opponent.”
Referee correct in not giving a 2nd yellow card
after player takes his shirt off to celebrate. Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://www.espnfc.co.uk/manchester-city/story/2818528/fa-satisfied-with-ref-decision-after-
yaya-toure-celebration
Referee Michael Oliver is set to escape censure for failing to send off Yaya Toure at the end of
Manchester City's penalty shoot-out win over Liverpool in Sunday's Capital One Cup final.
Had Oliver applied the letter of the law, he ought to have issued Toure a second yellow card for
removing his shirt as he wheeled away in triumph after stroking the winner past Simon Mignolet.
However, sources tell Press Association Sport that the Football Association is satisfied that Oliver
took the common-sense approach given the nature of the incident and the fact the game had
finished.
Earlier, Oliver had issued a yellow card to Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho after the Brazilian took off
his shirt in the process of celebrating his 83rd-minute equaliser.
Generally speaking, despite widespread criticism of the ruling, the FA and the Professional Game
Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) have been rigid in its application.
The current FIFA rule, established in 2004, states: "A player who removes his jersey after scoring a
goal will be cautioned for unsporting behaviour. Removing one's shirt after scoring is unnecessary
and players should avoid such excessive displays of joy." 23
In a week when Scottish referees have been back in the spot light for all the wrong
reasons, one of the few players to make the switch from playing to officiating
reveals the challenges he faces during every game.
The challenges of switching from playing to refereeing
Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/former-east-fife-defender-euan-
7457479?#rE42ARAxDvovsbE3.97
A veteran of 10 clubs from St Johnstone down to the Juniors, his highlight reel includes a man-of-
the-match display in one of the greatest Cup shocks when Stenny beat Aberdeen, and a Junior
Cup winner’s medal with Linlithgow Rose.
But now you’ll find him in the middle of academy games and running the line in the Juniors and the
Lowland League.
Donaldson, 40, is loving every minute, despite getting into it more by accident than design. And
that’s one of the problems, he believes – that there’s no clear pathway for players to make the
switch to refereeing. Going from one to the other, however, would raise standards and help bridge
the divide.
He said: “I was watching my son Jack playing for Stenny’s community team and Wes Boulstridge,
the secretary of Stirlingshire refs asked: ‘D’you not fancy doing the refereeing?’ “I just laughed at
him and said: ‘Nah, not for me. I gave refs pelters when I played!’ But he was at me every week
and eventually told me he had booked me in for the next course. “I went along and ever since then
I’ve loved it.
“You start at the bottom, do a seven-week course, a wee exam at the end and if you pass you’re
qualified to do kids games, seven-a-sides. “You then move up to 11s and eventually work your
away up through the age groups, doing amateurs, maybe running the line at Junior, Lowland
League games. It’s not easy, though. The relationship between players and refs is harder now.
IF POACHERS make the best gamekeepers, why
don’t players make the best refs?
Probably because most of them run a mile from
crossing the divide at the end of their careers.
And the whistling business is a lot worse off for it,
according to one of the few who has.
In a week when the inadequacies of Scotland’s top
whistler (© Scottish FA, UEFA and FIFA but no one
else) Willie Collum have been back under the
spotlight , MailSport went through the refereeing
ranks to find out why the gulf between those who
play the game and those who officiate it has
become a chasm.
And in Euan Donaldson, a 500-game former pro
who played at every level, we found some of the
answers.
Continued on Page 25... 24
Euan Donaldson made a career as a defender
for the likes of Forfar Athletic and East Fife but
now spends time refereeing rather than playing
...Continued from page 19
“You can never win. The respect isn’t there. Every decision you make, you have people in your
face. And with the juveniles it’s the parents that are worse.”
That’s where Euan’s own experiences come in – and he believes if there were more like him, it
would make a difference.
He said: “Playing the game definitely gives me a better understanding of how to referee one. You
get a sense of the match that if you haven’t played in one, you won’t understand. You can see a
picture building up of the way a move develops. You can see when a ball gets played through and
how a centre-half is coming at a challenge, how a winger might be approaching it. You know how
it’s going to unfold because you’ve been in their boots so many times. You read it the way you
would read it as a player. It’s like a sixth sense.
“The wee things you know went on as a player, it’s not that you turn a blind eye to them but you
know when to let the game flow and when not to. A lot of the guys coming through who haven’t
played read the manual and apply it to the letter. That’s how they referee. I’m more: ‘Let’s get on
with it, we’re here for a game of football...’”
Donaldson still has huge sympathy for the scrutiny his Category One colleagues come under – not
least Collum. The ref who will represent Scotland at Euro 2016 is in the middle of a three-game
breather from the top flight after a shocker in the Inverness v Aberdeen game. Again though, the
former Clyde, Forfar, East Fife and Albion Rovers full-back believes if Collum had run a mile in a
player’s boots, he could have saved himself weeks of misery.
Donaldson said : “It’s easy reffing a game from the TV pictures. Every angle, slow motion… the guy
on the spot gets one look and a couple of seconds. So when I’m watching that Inverness game,
I’m feeling a bit of sympathy for Willie with the first penalty decision. But in these situations I’m
looking at it as a former player and you know by the way the player goes down, the way the play
unfolds, whether it’s a foul or not.
“With the relationships you have on the park, it helps. Like when I’m doing the Juniors, where I
finished up my career. There are guys I’ve played with and against so it breaks down a barrier for
you as a ref. They understand that you understand the game. It helps with the dugouts as well.
Last Saturday, I was doing the line at Bo’ness v Broxburn and it was Allan McGonigal on one side
and Max Christie on the other, whom I played with at Stenny. You get that wee rapport going and it
takes a lot of the tension and aggression out of it. It doesn’t give you a God-given right to get every
decision correct but it helps.”
There are some things even being a former player just can’t help with – and Donaldson despairs at
what every official has to put up with. He said: “All the wrestling going on in boxes at free-kicks
and corners. I’d love to see refs given the nod to just give a penalty every time. It would soon stop.
And dissent’s a major problem. Kids do get a bad example set, you get swarms of 15-year-olds
around you complaining. All I do then is say: ‘Look, there are no Sky cameras here pal, get on with
it, concentrate on your game.’
“Sometimes it’s the parents though. I had to threaten to abandon an Under-17 game when a parent
came on at half-time and laid his hands on me.”
Donaldson is content to stay down the categories picking up pin money – around 25 quid a game
running the line – just to stay active in the game. At 40, he knows his options to climb the ladder
would be stifled anyway.
But he admitted: “There should be a pathway for players to get into it and it should start early. The
PFA don’t have any involvement that I’m aware of but maybe it’s something they should think
about.” 25
Soccer player suspended six games
for insulting ref on Facebook Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2016/03/15/soccer-player-suspended-belgium-facebook-
referee-insult
Say it to his face on the field next time, Giuseppe. That way you’ll only get a red card and a one-
game suspension.
If you’re an athlete, think twice before talking
trash online.
Giuseppe Francone, a soccer player for
Lanklaar VV in Belgium’s third division,
learned the hard way that he should watch
what he says online. According to Belgian
outlet Het Nieuwsblad, Francone was
suspended for six games after insulting a
linesman on Facebook.
The linesman then sent a screenshot of the
message to the referee, who forwarded it to
the league. The league decided to suspend
Francone for six games, arguing that officials
need to have their privacy respected.
Continued on Page 27... 26
Referees have been reminded about players putting out their leg to win a spot kick after a
series of contentious incidents this season.
Premier League officials ordered to have
crackdown on players "looking for" penalties Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-officials-ordered-crackdown-
7610888
Arsene Wenger was furious after Leicester
were awarded a penalty last month
Referees have been ordered to have a crackdown on players
who go “looking for” penalties.
Premier League officials are already under orders to dish out
yellow cards for players who are caught diving to try to win
spot kicks.
But they have also been reminded about a new instruction on
players who use the familiar trick of putting out their own leg
to try to have themselves tripped to win a spot kick.
...Continued from page 19
There have been a few cases this season where managers have angrily accused strikers of looking
for a penalty.
27
Marcus Rashford clashed with Martin
Demichelis at the weekend
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was unhappy after Leicester striker Jamie Vardy won a penalty at the
Emirates.
Vardy was accused of sticking out a leg to get himself tripped by Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri insisted Vardy had done nothing wrong.
Premier League bosses are hoping the crackdown will cut down on accusations of cheating.
...while Christian Benteke has also been questioned.
Would you treat me like this if I refereed wearing my school uniform instead of a referee uniform??
MESSAGE FROM A 14 YEAR OLD REFEREE.
I’M JUST A SCHOOL CHILD AS WELL… Spotted by Jerzy Dabrowski
http://www.grf-football.co.uk/message-from-a-14-year-old-referee-im-just-a-school-child-
aswell/
Grassroots has given me the platform to speak
anonymously so please listen to what I have to say.
To “THAT” coach who questioned every single decision
I made until I doubted my own decisions.
To “THAT” dad who told his child “it’s pointless son, he’s
not going to give you anything”
To “THAT” spectator who is always 1 yard on the pitch
despite repeatedly being told “Please can you get off
the pitch”
To “THAT” parent who won’t move so the kids can take
a throw in or a corner.
To “THAT” coach who does nothing when others abuse
me. Continued on Page 28...
...Continued from page 19
28
To “THAT” parent who does nothing when others abuse me.
To “THAT” spectator who does nothing when others abuse me.
Please remember that I am learning how to be a referee, please remember that I am a school child
also but most importantly please remember without a referee you have no game. Please accept
that there will be decisions I get wrong, some of these decisions might even be against you, but
don’t over analyse these decisions and think it’s a huge conspiracy I have against your team or
club, I don’t even know you
Please don’t judge me like a premier league referee who has had years of experience, 2
professional linesman, a fourth official, goal line technology and cameras covering the whole
pitch….and still gets decisions wrong!!!!
I love this game and I want your son or daughter to love this game.
Respect from all Referees everywhere
An unusual incident occurred in a Croatian Third Division match as a drunk supporter
struck the match official on the head, leading to him being taken to hospital.
Pensioner fan attacks referee with wooden bat Provided by Mal Davies in his weekly links
http://www.goal.com/en/news/13712/extra-time/2016/04/03/21971252/-
Football referees across the world are forced to put up
with great levels of abuse in their careers, from players
and fans alike.
And while in most parts such threats rarely turn
physical, one referee must have been taken aback to
find himself at the mercy of a bat-wielding pensioner as
he officiated a Croatian Third Division match on
Saturday.
The match between Primorac Biograd and Hrvace in
the third tier was going smoothly enough before the
bizarre incident occurred.
A 73-year-old supporter smacked referee Antonio Kristo
on the head with a wooden bat. The official was
subsequently taken to hospital, but is not seriously
injured.
Primorac, who won the game 2-0, admitted afterwards
that the incident happened because security did not
take the old man seriously.
The culprit was arrested immediately afterwards and it
was revealed that he had been heavily intoxicated, and
it will be no surprise to learn that the man was already
known to the police.
29
Footie Funnies
“He must be serious, Mum. He’s taking me out again tomorrow and there’s football on television!”
Anyone got a football?
30
“No, it’s nothing to do with bleeding football.”
I take two sugars at half-time…
“You know nothing about football either?...So we’ve both
spent two hours bluffing?”
WHAT? – You hid the remote during the Cup Final?
CONTACTS – 2014 / 2015
President Grant Sheavyn [email protected]
Vice President John Kasey 020 8394 2968
Vice President Peter Watson 020 8393 9989
Chairman Grant Sheavyn [email protected]
Vice Chairman Rod van Niekerk 07976 545874
Hon. Secretary Fez Barnard [email protected]
Hon. Treasurer Keith Rodger 020 8786 7410
Training Officers Peter Watson 020 8393 9989
John Martin 020 8641 0501
Dolapo Odujinrin
R.A. Delegates John Kasey 020 8394 2968
Keith Glover 020 8786 0545
Magazine Editor Mike Coen 07930 668432
Supplies Officer Mike Ewing 020 8644 7225
Retention Officer Neil Sitch 07902 651343
Sutton United Liaison officer Simeon Potter 020 8661 1555
Hon. Auditors Ms B M Lisney, MAAT
31
Dates for the Diary
April, 2016
Thu 14th @ 7:30pm Sutton Society Meeting @ Sutton Utd FC
Speaker: Jordan Crichlow – My story so far as a young referee.
May, 2016
Thu 11th @ 7:30pm Sutton Society Meeting @ Sutton Utd FC AGM
Fri 20th End-of-Season Meal @ Venue to be determined
