A&H

Lifts

I

Isaac

Isaac
Level 7 Referee
So I referee for a team fairly regularly which is a 5 min walk from my house. However because of recent flooding all their games are being played at the oppositions pitch but being classed as their home game. So the team traveling is the home team (hope that makes sense lol)

Because they're classed as the home team they need a ref and have asked me to do it. They also said they would give me a lift (I don't have a car). Do you believe this is a good idea. My concern is that if the opposition see me with them then it could make them question my impartiality.

Sorry for the crap explanation but I think it makes sense lol
 
The Referee Store
I would very strongly recommend against it. It's not enough to 'be fair'; you also need to 'be seen to be fair'. Talking too much with one team in particular, joking around with them and acting all buddy-like, for instance, looks terrible. How would it look if you award a controversial last-minute penalty for the home team to win the match, then you're seen to get in the car with them on the way home?
Conversely, what if the home team are furious with you and you've sent off the person giving you a lift?
 
Absolutely agree with Capn there - sharing a ride with any of the participants is likely to lead to problems one way or another and is definitely best avoided. I would put this to them with the scenarios Capn outlines above, I'm sure they'll try and persuade you but really they should understand.
 
As above mate. It has the potential to really make things difficult for you. Do yourself a favour and source another means of transport.
If that's not a possibility, then I'd be looking to decline the fixture politely. :)
 
agree with everyone else, it has a recipe for disaster!

1. get a cab?
2. get the lift, but agree to be dropped off round the corner, walk the rest of the way!
 
Thanks a lot for the advice. I'll explain what you've all said to the manager. Hopefully he'll understand
 
I'm sure if you thank him for the offer but say that you don't think it would look right then he will understand.
Many years ago I did a county league game at the far end of the county - 70 miles each way - with the away team local to me, and less than 5 miles from my door. I had to drive right past their pitch to get to the opposition's.
Both teams are easy to referee, with ready acceptance of any decisions you make and no awkward players on either team.
When I arrived at the ground both teams had just arrived. The away manager greeted me with "Hello, we'd have offered you a lift but we didn't think it would have looked right." The home manager asked him what he meant and when he explained where I lived replied "that wouldn't have been a problem for us, but I can see what you mean"
There are a lot of teams who wouldn't have been so understanding, particularly if the game had gone badly. A 2 hour journey in a car containing a player I've just sent off wouldn't be on my bucket list!
 
This scenario happened a few times for my son when he started refereeing before he was old enough to drive. Original home team would ask other team 'do you want us to bring appointed ref with us or do you want to source one local to you'. They would ask for my son to be used as more than likely they would have struggled to find one.
This was youth football - if it is open age I would not recommend as journey home with decisions being criticised would not be fun.
 
happy whistler said:
This scenario happened a few times for my son when he started refereeing before he was old enough to drive. Original home team would ask other team 'do you want us to bring appointed ref with us or do you want to source one local to you'. They would ask for my son to be used as more than likely they would have struggled to find one.
This was youth football - if it is open age I would not recommend as journey home with decisions being criticised would not be fun.
Click to expand...
It's U15
 
Again I'm in agreement with everyone else.

I sometimes get asked to do games for my girlfriends team when they don't get a league appointed ref.

I always make my own way there for this exact reason, even though my girlfriend has to drive past my house on the way there.
 
travelling to a game is one thing, travelling back after 3 reds and 7 yellows is not wise, i agree with the advice you already have recieved, dont do it
 
zarathustra said:
Again I'm in agreement with everyone else.

I sometimes get asked to do games for my girlfriends team when they don't get a league appointed ref.

I always make my own way there for this exact reason, even though my girlfriend has to drive past my house on the way there.
Click to expand...
u hope if you have to caution your girlfriend you ask her, her name lol
 
jofusref said:
u hope if you have to caution your girlfriend you ask her, her name lol
Click to expand...

Luckily it's never come up, her team are generally very well behaved, they're there because they enjoying playing football so don't get too worked up about stuff.

The two players that rack up the cards for dissent never seem to play when I'm reefing them. Though my girlfriends dad is also a ref and has cautioned more than a few of them.

But to get vaguely back on topic he's had a few problems with some of the away teams, the last time being when he was acting as a CAR, made a really good offside call and the away manager screamed at him from the other end of the pitch calling him an fing cheat etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top