A&H

Promotion 17/18

What's the problem? Worried you might actually have to work with the players? Open Age Sunday League on your own can be one of the toughest refereeing gigs you can experience. It doesn't matter if you're in the right place, it doesn't matter if you give the right decision, you weren't in the pub last night when the CH decided to have his third Sambuca after his 9th pint of wifebeater, so you can't know whether you're talking to a fully functioning human being. If you are, you never know when he might re-introduce his lamb bhuna to the world, on your field or off your field.

That can create a few issues but it can also help you learn so much about your game. Stop being so fecking snobbish about the football you have to referee.

I once was told if you can handle 22 players on a Sunday morning then you can handle pretty much anything....Very true!!!
 
The Referee Store
Echoing Brian's words, I would also add that Sunday football in my area will include a large number of Contrib/Supply & County players blowing the cobwebs away from a Saturday night with their mates.

I did so when I was playing. Saturday's were for honours, Sunday's for laughs.

Communication and empathy for the spirit of the game are vital. They are more likely to test your patience on a Sunday morning (in my experience)
 
As a level 4 referee I was observed 9 times during the last marking season and in the main you do get some good honest feedback. I personally like it when fellow referees from my pool and RA come and watch as you always get a few pointers to assist you along the way. Best of luck to all of you promotion candidates.
 
Also agree with Brian, Sunday doesn't mean a poor or easy game and often it is totally the opposite. As an example down here, I'd much rather watch a referee on a Sunday morning on one of the numerous Sunday leagues than a referee on a Saturday on the SAL / AFC, etc.

I went to LFA's Sunday Challenge Cup final this season and it was a much better quality game than most Saturday games I've seen, including those at steps 6 and 7. Indeed, not that surprising as many of the players on display play and Saturdays at steps 5, 4 and I think even 3 for one player. Obviously that was a final, but these players weren't just brought in for that game and had been playing Sunday morning football all season.
 
Also agree with Brian, Sunday doesn't mean a poor or easy game and often it is totally the opposite. As an example down here, I'd much rather watch a referee on a Sunday morning on one of the numerous Sunday leagues than a referee on a Saturday on the SAL / AFC, etc.

Depends what games you're getting on the SAL. If you're getting the senior division games then I've found them much higher quality than the Sunday league I do, but the quality falls off quite sharply after that.

But I definitely agree with Brian. Sunday league is certainly not easy street!
 
I would partially agreed with Brian. Yes you need to experience both Sunday League Football and semi-pro level of football to see it. I would disagree on progression speed. Technically it doesn`t matter you will do 7-5 or 6-4 but saying that " you might not be ready " is actually harsh. At the end of the day have did have the same " minimum " of games with observations and observers are deciding about your performance. If you will get your 7-5 or 6-4 and you are not ready it means that your observers failed to identify that as well and it is nothing wrong in being ambicious. Would you agree Brian ?

Regards
Rob
 
I would partially agreed with Brian. Yes you need to experience both Sunday League Football and semi-pro level of football to see it. I would disagree on progression speed. Technically it doesn`t matter you will do 7-5 or 6-4 but saying that " you might not be ready " is actually harsh. At the end of the day have did have the same " minimum " of games with observations and observers are deciding about your performance. If you will get your 7-5 or 6-4 and you are not ready it means that your observers failed to identify that as well and it is nothing wrong in being ambicious. Would you agree Brian ?

Regards
Rob
Unless I mentioned it earlier in the thread I haven't touched on speed of progression in my recent posts. If you want my opinion on that, then it is this. If someone is stupid enough to think that someone can go from being 16 years of age and just acquired their level 7 to being 18 and a level 4, then I hope they are around to provide the bucket loads of support you will need and/or to pick up the pieces.

Nothing wrong with being ambitious but I have never been a big fan of stupidity.
 
With the assessment requirements, is an observer something you need to request from your local FA before applying for promotion, or is this something they will provide after you have applied? I imagine this is unlikely, but do preseason games count towards your game requirements as well?
 
With the assessment requirements, is an observer something you need to request from your local FA before applying for promotion, or is this something they will provide after you have applied? I imagine this is unlikely, but do preseason games count towards your game requirements as well?
1. observations will be sorted for you once you're accepted onto the promotion scheme. However, you need to make sure the relevant people know what games you're appointed to.
2. No, pre season games do not count. You can't be observed nor do they count towards the minimum quota of games.
 
However, you need to make sure the relevant people know what games you're appointed to.


you should have a link to a database where you can enter all your upcoming fixtures... your CFA will have access to this and will allocate an observer to any games that are suitable for promotion criteria
 
We don't have that. I've always sent mine on email. Must still be in the dark ages
 
you should have a link to a database where you can enter all your upcoming fixtures... your CFA will have access to this and will allocate an observer to any games that are suitable for promotion criteria

Check out mr technology.

Kent still lumber along with spreadsheets which have to be submitted every month, better than carrier pidgeon though i guess.
 
2. No, pre season games do not count. You can't be observed nor do they count towards the minimum quota of games.
This might be a difference between different CFA's, but I believe that for 7-6, the matches only have to be 11-a-side OA. I believe pre-season does count.
 
This might be a difference between different CFA's, but I believe that for 7-6, the matches only have to be 11-a-side OA. I believe pre-season does count.


Here in Hampshire we got told that pre season games count, if you've been officially appointed to them and they meet the requirements for your promotion level.

Example, if you are officially appointed to an U18 pre season game it would count as one of your 6 underage games for 7-6 and 6-5, but would not count for 5-4.

If a club calls you directly and asks you to do it, then you are not officially appointed and therefore it would never t count for any level.
 
Yes I think @GraemeS is right. 7-6 is just OA 11x11 and it counts to your twenty - though highly unlikely to get an observer assigned i would guess.

Also our Surrey tech tracker is that I have to email the observer coordinator for every match I'm assigned and if it's selected to be observed i get a reply email....very advanced tech :)
 
haha, looks like Essex are leading the way here then ! Had 2 observations so far, although i'm sure they could have chosen harder fixtures from my list than the 2 attended.
 
I my last THREE matches have all had observers assigned and all were cancelled at the last minute for various reasons - bad luck....have another this Sunday, fingers crossed.

Good luck with your promo @richard ramjane
 
As @richard ramjane mentioned, in Essex we have an online form to submit matches to the CFA - I tend to put basically every match on there, regardless of if they are technically eligible or not! It frees me from having to see inside the RDO's head and also I figure if I am a borderline case, showing that I have done a few extra youth games or "lower league" games might paint me as a more rounded referee.
 
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