Designed for use at a Cup Final but can be adapted to a normal game.
1. Pre-match – third team, work together, warm-up
a. Third team – you’ve reached the final just like the players, based on your ability and have earned your appointments so well done
b. Work together – both teams will want to win and the only friends out on the field are your colleagues so look after each other
c. Warm-up – it’s an easy trick to impress those who watch all their football on the tv. To the experienced eye, it shows you are taking this game as seriously as the players
d. Appoint a senior assistant who will replace you if you can’t continue for any reason
e. Your senior writes down everything you write down while your junior keeps an eye on all the players while you and the senior assistant are writing
f. The junior assistant should record times of all the goals, while you and your senior assistant watch the players
2. Admin - team-sheet, jewellery and boot check
a. Team sheets – ask for them about 30 minutes before kick off but if they aren’t provided then you want the name of all the players, especially if it is roll on-roll off subs. Write them all in your notebook so that it makes your cautioning easier
b. Jewellery – no player wears a single item. This is a time to establish your authority
c. Boot check – a time to mix with the players, maybe make a joke or two to relax them and you
3. Entrance – together, check nets, witness toss, into position
a. Enter the field by leading the teams out like they do for Champions League games. Tell the managers 30 minutes before kick off that is how they will enter the field. Do the Respect handshake with the home team shaking your hands, your assistants and the away team. The away team then shake your hands and your assistants
b. Check nets – assistants break and check that nets are pegged down. They are responsible for letting you know if there is a problem but they should also resolve any issues with their net
c. Witness toss – winner of toss chooses direction to play, loser kicks off
d. Position – shake hands with your assistants and they move to their patrol path. They should run right wings, that means covering from the halfway line to the corner flag, alongside the left backs
4. Offside – see, acknowledge, miss
a. If you think there’s been an offside offence, just have a glance to your assistant
b. This is really important just after every goal, check your assistant isn’t signalling that an infringement has occurred
c. Explain offside using PIG, player in an offside position when the ball is last touched/played by a team mate but ask them to “wait and see” if two players are going for the ball at the same time, one offside one not and the one offside
i. Plays the ball
ii. Interferes with an opponent by distracting them or preventing them from playing the ball
iii. Gains an advantage by getting the ball from a rebound off the goalkeeper or goal frame
d. You will see the assistant’s signal, stop play, they indicate far, middle or near, ball down, indirect free kick signal (arm straight up and stays up until someone else plays the ball after the free kick or it goes out of play), restart the game with a blast on your whistle
e. You will miss them, they need to maintain their signal until you see them, then it’s as per d above
f. You will see them but the ball is going to the goalkeeper with no one else near, then just play advantage to the goalkeeper. If an attacker is near, then stop play as per d above
5. Throw-ins – thirds, leading, eye contact
a. Divide the touchline into thirds
b. In their third, they signal and unless they are really obviously wrong, you go with them
c. In your third, they go with your direction every time
d. In the middle third, you indicate which direction and use eye contact to lead them or point the direction at waist level. Take your time and both go the same way
6. Corners – ball in arc, behind flag both sides unless called
a. Assistant to check the ball is in the arc and stand behind the corner flag when the kick is on their side
b. Assistant to stand behind the corner flag when the kick is on the opposite side from them
c. They are to watch for the ball crossing the goal line for a goal, goal kick or corner kick
7. Goal kicks – check 1st kick in each half
a. Check the 1st kick in each half from in line with the goal area
b. Check other kicks from in line with the penalty area
8. Fouls & Misconduct – tempo management, credibility, advantage, cards
a. Tempo management – assistants need to gauge your tolerance level for fouls and help you out
b. Credibility – they really should only give signals for free kicks which occur within 15m or so from their position
c. Advantage – if they indicate a free kick should be given, but you play advantage, they need to keep moving
d. Cards – if they want you to issue a card, they need to tell you who did what and what they think should happen
e. At free kicks, if it’s near their position ask them to watch the ball to make sure it isn’t moved while you walk out the 9.15m
9. Penalties – yes, no or help; goal line judge, infringements
a. Yes – you give the penalty and they shouldn’t attempt to over rule you
b. No – you cut the grass and they shouldn’t come in with a signal unless someone has punched someone else behind your back
c. Help – you know something happened. If they think it’s a penalty, they should give an agitated flag signal and move swiftly towards the corner flag
d. Goal line judge – they move to a place on the goal line halfway between where the goal line touches the lines marking the outer edge of the goal areas and penalty areas
e. They need to see if the ball crosses the goal line for a goal and/or the goal keeper moves more than 1m off his line before the ball is kicked. If he does, they should stand still and let you know you need a re-take, if it was saved
10. Mass confrontations – observe, runners, come together
a. If one happens, you and they should observe who is doing what – form a triangle around the incident
b. The one nearest the technical areas should ensure no one runs on from there
c. When it all calms down you come together
d. You work out your dismissals first and then your cautions
e. Send away team players off first and home team players off second
f. Allow a delay between sending them so they don’t start fighting again
g. If you feel you will not be able to regain control, especially if spectators have entered the field, then consider abandoning the game
11. Benches – manage, if not possible, bring me over
a. Technical areas – put your most senior person next to them
b. They should attempt to manage any misconduct by the managers/coaches/subs
c. If they can’t, then they should call you over
d. You issue one warning and any further infringements, bin them!
12. Substitutions – one off, one on; named, jewellery and boot check
a. Control them by only allowing the sub to enter the field when the player he is replacing has left the field
b. Your assistant needs to check they were named before kick off
c. Re-do the jewellery and boot check for the sub joining the game, even if they have been on before
13. Time down
a. Near the end of each half, tell your senior assistant how much added time you will be playing so he can tell the managers
b. This is the minimum you will play
14. Exit – half time, come together, no discussion
a. Half time – assistants should run to your position so they can act as witness if anyone says anything to you
b. Don’t enter into any discussion on the field, just offer to talk to the person 15 minutes after the game has finished
15. Second half – substitutions, check nets
a. Second half – check there’s no substitutions being made
b. Assistants to check nets again as per 3d above
16. Same sides unless there’s a problem
a. Assistants to stay on same side so they will have a new defence to look after
b. Only change this if one assistant is getting a lot of grief from people around him
17. Exit – full time, come together, no discussion
a. Full time – assistants should run to your position so they can act as witness if anyone says anything to you
b. Don’t enter into any discussion on the field, just offer to talk to the person 15 minutes after the game has finished
18. Feedback – private and open
a. After the game ask your assistants if there were any mistakes and listen carefully so you understand why the other official feels differently about one of your decisions
b. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge their statement so you understand better
c. This discussion takes place in private
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