A&H

What do you write?

OldNavyRef

OldNavyRef

Well-Known Member
Level 5 Referee
So I have one of those leather pouches that you keep your cards in (everyone I have keeps breaking).

I fold an A4 sheet of paper and put it in the middle of the pouch.

I write on the paper home and their colour and away and their colour, then draw a line down the middle.

I write 'K' during the coin flip on the side of who takes first kick off. I also write 'G' on the side, when a team scores (I tried tallies but if it is raining or I have rubbish writing it gets confusing). So if the score is three one it will look like : GGG | G.

On the yellow/red card, in pencil. I write number, name, and reason, usually with a tiny description. '9 - Joe bloggs - c1(AA) threatened to kick'

I'll also at top of each side of the card put either home or away.

This is all self taught and probably really clunky/crap.

What do others do? What are good habits I should start implementing now. As I don't really see the point of recording what minute everything happened, but should I make a habit of this.

Thanks.
 
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I love these threads!

I also stopped doing tallies for the same reason. I go for the masking tape on the cover and write down the actual number, so mine would look like this...

1 2 3 || 1

I've yet to get confused and think I've ended up with a 12-12 thriller!

At half time I do a horizontal line to separate the two halves.

I do record the minute for sanctions as WGS likes them on chrono order so it helps with that. I use write on cards for this.

In the inside of my book I have a sheet of waterproof paper for the worst weather alternative and a failsafe. I have a match card in there too, but not using them much at present.

In other little tricks, I tend to write the captains names on my wrist with my sharpie.
 
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Something I do at half time, which is probably weird, i’d make a quick note on my wrist or Home/Away and Number for being close to a C3 Persistent Caution.

EG: H6 C3

It’s a weak area of my game, and I don’t always caution persistent when I maybe should, because I just don’t realise.
 
george.g said:
Something I do at half time, which is probably weird, i’d make a quick note on my wrist or Home/Away and Number for being close to a C3 Persistent Caution.

EG: H6 C3

It’s a weak area of my game, and I don’t always caution persistent when I maybe should, because I just don’t realise.
Click to expand...
For me persistent offenders should really standout. Remember there is no specific number or pattern of offending so I don't necessarily think that you're missing a lot.
Viridis1886 said:
I love these threads!

I also stopped doing tallies for the same reason. I go for the masking tape on the cover and write down the actual number, so mine would look like this...

1 2 3 || 1

I've yet to get confused and think I've ended up with a 12-12 thriller!

At half time I do a horizontal line to separate the two halves.
Click to expand...
I record the minute the goal is scored, so my book looks like this:

12' 34' 36' as an example.

Not sure why, I think I was told to do it when I started in case there was any query over score, which only works if someone says the score was less. If they say it was more and you haven't got a time then you haven't got a time. Furthermore, I've never had the score queried in 13 years so how useful it is I don't know. But, that's how I do it anyway.
OldNavyRef said:
So I have one of those leather pouches that you keep your cards in (everyone I have keeps breaking).

I fold an A4 sheet of paper and put it in the middle of the pouch.

I write on the paper home and their colour and away and their colour, then draw a line down the middle.

I write 'K' during the coin flip on the side of who takes first kick off. I also write 'G' on the side, when a team scores (I tried tallies but if it is raining or I have rubbish writing it gets confusing). So if the score is three one it will look like : GGG | G.

On the yellow/red card, in pencil. I write number, name, and reason, usually with a tiny description. '9 - Joe bloggs - c1(AA) threatened to kick'

I'll also at top of each side of the card put either home or away.

This is all self taught and probably really clunky/crap.

What do others do? What are good habits I should start implementing now. As I don't really see the point of recording what minute everything happened, but should I make a habit of this.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I use pads i get from various refereeing outlets. They usually have a tick box for kick off. Separate sections for 1st half and 2nd half score and enough spaces for 11 players and 5 substitutes.

I only really use the pad for noting score and kick off as I use write on cards, where I record player number, offence and time.
 
I either used pads or write on cards, all of which had a tickbox for kick off

When I got to a level where teamsheets had to be provided 45-60 mins before kick off, I always wrote each players first name in the book/on the card. It was more of a routine thing I had, but also helped me to remember players names.

If I noted down goals (although I only tended to do it in cup games) it was a tally in the specific box on the pad.

Ultimately its down to yourself what you write. But I'd say don't write too much as it can become a tad confusing after the game when you're doing your admin
 
Times of goals and cards here.
For red card offenses we also note the fouled player for reporting purposes.

I also note the head coaches (or whoever is officially) in case I have to card a “mystery caller” on the bench. This is useful if e.g. lots of coaches or if there is a player/sub head coach.
 
Captain & Manager name of both teams (teams initialled home & away so for example Abbey United v Bradley United would be something like the below):
AU Ben / Steve
BU Dan / Brian

When R, I'm using a YC that's a self-made write on with the following columns:
Team/Number - Name - Minute - Code

Reds go into the notebook. Additional space for any extra notes / comments for WGS submission.

For AR on Step 5/6, all first names into the book and record all via the pad.

Update pad at half time with score and kick but generally keeping score/kick off for both halves via Refsix on watch. It's not failed me yet (touchwood)
 
I put my notebook in my back pocket. My notebook inside (if I have team sheets) I use the ref stop ones and put it inside. I fill out the first 11 and subs with first and second names for both teams and I write the captain’s name for each team at the top. I just use a tally for goals (alongside Refsix) and if I caution or send someone off, I just tick the box next to their name (sin bin, yellow, red) in my notebook on the notepad.

If it’s a youth game with no team sheets, I fold over a piece of paper and it only takes up half my notebook. I put home and away and their colours under each side and just put a line down the middle. I’ll just write their name and (James Bailey- RC, VC) for example. It works for me.

Yellow is in the right short and straight red is in my right shirt pocket. Second yellow and red in my left shirt pocket for quick second cautions. Spare pen loose in my left short pocket and main pen clipped to my left shirt pocket.
 
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I'm notoriously bad at remembering the captain's names, so I write them on the inside of my hand meaning I can check without having to get the notebook out.

For recording everything I used a notebook with pre-printed sheets that I've bought from various places, Official Sports and A&H originally but when they both went I found ones on eBay. I take the cards out of the notebook though and instead thicket it with a cardboard insert, seen too many issues where the glimpse of a card has caused serious issues when the different colour emerged.
 
I made my own inserts for my wallet with three columns—a narrow one in the middle. Left side is for Home, and right side for visitor. I think having the time is useful to have (and expected on the misconduct reporting I do), and it goes in the middle column. So if something happens, the minute goes in the middle column, and what happened under the tem. (Gol 7; dsnt 11; reckless 4; etc.) Works for me and is very quick. At the end, I have a simple chronology of the game.
 
Two other options print your own ref pad card.

or

If you have a smart watch use free version or paid version for RefSix App, even if you just use it for time keeping & score recording.
 

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Over the years I must have tried near enough every type of match card/pad on the market and none really suited.

I just use a standard 3x5 index card and draw lines on it to create spaces for team names, goals, cards and subs.

In the leagues that I have refereed on, it was necessary to record the scorer and goal time, subs on off and time, and numbers, offence and time for misconduct, the index card provided enough space for all these details.

I have attached an example that I shared on another post a few years agoIMG_0282.png
 
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I’ve experimented with several different methods this season. Since I qualified I’d always used a notebook just with the inserts that usually come with them. Last season I decided that this was taking me far too long however.

I’ve tried write-on (wipe-clean) cards, stickers over the top of the cards, and Refsix. The one I’ve enjoyed the best over winter is Refsix, largely because I find writing anything in the cold incredibly difficult. The wipe-clean cards I borrowed off someone for a couple of weeks, but decided that I found them too much of a faff in cleaning, though I think the pen I was using was sticking a bit. I’ve still got loads of stickers left as I purchased them, I quite enjoyed them and might use them more towards the end of the season, but whilst it’s still cold I might stick with Refsix.

Having read through this thread I might experiment with the masking tape on the booklet next.
 
The only time I write anything other than disciplinary on my yellow card is if im senior AR and have multiple subs to deal with. Refsix is a bit clumsy if you have more than one to deal with at the same time.
 
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