A&H

Referee Retention - Open Letter

Kent FA have just sent round an open letter, similar to the one in this thread.

it will be going on all their social media channels and also be sent out to the press etc.
 
The Referee Store
The RDO included some figures from this weekend just gone, they include 4 referees (2 of which were still trainees) leaving the game due to abuse received at matches.

A referee being assaulted, a referee being followed back to the changing rooms and verbally abused by a coach, and a referee receiving threats on social media.

He also worked out that the county lost is down around 400 match officials from last season, and that if each of those referees had done 20 matches in a season that is 8k matches that will go without a qualified referee.
 
The RDO included some figures from this weekend just gone, they include 4 referees (2 of which were still trainees) leaving the game due to abuse received at matches.

A referee being assaulted, a referee being followed back to the changing rooms and verbally abused by a coach, and a referee receiving threats on social media.

He also worked out that the county lost is down around 400 match officials from last season, and that if each of those referees had done 20 matches in a season that is 8k matches that will go without a qualified referee.
The worst part is, some of those 8000 games will be reffed by tired referees, who are perhaps doing a 3rd or 4th game as a direct result of the shortage.
They wont have their best games, will be abused for it and become at risk to be the next referee to sack it in...
 
The worst part is, some of those 8000 games will be reffed by tired referees, who are perhaps doing a 3rd or 4th game as a direct result of the shortage.
They wont have their best games, will be abused for it and become at risk to be the next referee to sack it in...

My local grassroots league have put out the call for double-headers to be standard from next week on...
 
My local grassroots league have put out the call for double-headers to be standard from next week on...

as in stnadard for refs to do 2 games in a day or games themselves to be double headers? surely either option is less than suitable in the long term and should only be a short term measure!
 
The worst part is, some of those 8000 games will be reffed by tired referees, who are perhaps doing a 3rd or 4th game as a direct result of the shortage.
They wont have their best games, will be abused for it and become at risk to be the next referee to sack it in...
True, the problem is that this (abuse of match officials) is a cultural thing.

This has to be tackled at all levels of football, preferably from the top down.
 
as in stnadard for refs to do 2 games in a day or games themselves to be double headers? surely either option is less than suitable in the long term and should only be a short term measure!

To do two senior games on the bounce on the same day. So first team, then the reserves immediately after. It is opt-in as far as I know.

I wonder how many referees would be willing to do that every week for the remainder of the season.

There's a few centre-circle referees that will take it up!
 
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Pointless exercise drafting those letters?
What's happening in other counties? Is this a global issue? Is it an issue under certain Confederations? National FAs?
Change is not in the offing. The only thing that matters is the commercial side of the game. Culture and behaviour don't matter a jot. The world's audience will continue to copy 'as-seen-on-tv'... I admire the efforts and commitment to the game of those writing the letters, but they ain't worth taking the gloss off the keyboard
 
Pointless exercise drafting those letters?
What's happening in other counties? Is this a global issue? Is it an issue under certain Confederations? National FAs?
Change is not in the offing. The only thing that matters is the commercial side of the game. Culture and behaviour don't matter a jot. The world's audience will continue to copy 'as-seen-on-tv'... I admire the efforts and commitment to the game of those writing the letters, but they ain't worth taking the gloss off the keyboard
Possibly, but I don’t think they are intended to be broadcast on the 9 o’clock news, more for disseminating amongst local leagues etc where the lack of referees will be felt the most.

I agree that we won’t be seeing anything change very much.
 
In many ways, Nick Dunn's letter, who I know from my time in Kent, relates with the problem with no vestige of a solution.
Clubs as a whole need to be sanctioned.
Receiving verbal abuse on social media, suspend the club for a month from all forms of football.
Three red cards for a team in a month, suspend for two weeks.
Two sinbins in a week, suspend the team for the following week.
It won't happen though as CFA's want to please everyone and end up pleasing no-one.
 
Plenty of leagues want to take stronger action but are prevented doing so by CFAs

Some leagues get round it temporarily by taking sides of fixtures.
 
In many ways, Nick Dunn's letter, who I know from my time in Kent, relates with the problem with no vestige of a solution.
Clubs as a whole need to be sanctioned.
Receiving verbal abuse on social media, suspend the club for a month from all forms of football.
Three red cards for a team in a month, suspend for two weeks.
Two sinbins in a week, suspend the team for the following week.
It won't happen though as CFA's want to please everyone and end up pleasing no-one.
We'll have no football left then. All that'll happen is that Clubs will fold all over the shop to match the decline in Refereeing participation
That's why CFA's can't kill the Clubs, cos they'll kill grass roots football
 
double fees...? that might help!

Many think that more money won't help but from what I saw in my former cricket league that simply isn't true. 100% coverage last season, up from 55% 2 years previous. Fees were almost doubled as a trial and its worked. And don't think umpire abuse isn't on the increase because it is and has been for ages
 
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We'll have no football left then. All that'll happen is that Clubs will fold all over the shop to match the decline in Refereeing participation
That's why CFA's can't kill the Clubs, cos they'll kill grass roots football
Not necessarily, why would the clubs fold instead of just getting rid of or control of the troublemakers?

Would people rather have no football, than stop abusing match officials?
 
Not necessarily, why would the clubs fold instead of just getting rid of or control of the troublemakers?

Would people rather have no football, than stop abusing match officials?
We ain't got a crystal ball, so who knows?
However, what happens on TV, also happens on a FOP near you or I, every weekend
But nothing will happen in the immediacy because there's no financial motivation to change anything at the top. Simple as that really.
Leagues, CFA's and campaigns are all utterly powerless
And Refereeing of these TV games is a massive factor. The Refereeing is complicit. More specifically, the instructions these Refs work to. And where do those mandates ultimately come from? Their employers, PGMOL, Clubs, UEFA, FIFA etc. etc.
The higher we climb, the more rancid it gets. So, unless I've missed something, it's not gonna change
 
Many think that more money won't help but from what I saw in my former cricket league that simply isn't true. 100% coverage last season, up from 55% 2 years previous. Fees were almost doubled as a trial and its worked. And don't think umpire abuse isn't on the increase because it is and has been for ages
Witnessed plenty a bad word said to umpires this year. There were some absolute shockers mind but still
 
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