A&H

How Much are Your Ref's Fees?

Absolutely this. I'm impressed with the time and commitment that some posters put in to their refereeing.

I got in to it too late (37 years old) to make any real progress up the ranks but I still find the younger, more ambitious referees attitudes quite inspiring.

The process of progression looks quite attritional at times with little financial reward (as evidenced by the low fees highlighted on this thread) and lots of hard work which I suppose is a decent barometer for who really wants it most.
I probably passed my refs exam at a similar age,early to mid thirties,but I'd suggest you have a good few years if you want to advance. I'm now too old for any lists at all.
 
The Referee Store
U11s-U14s is £30 flat fee
U15s-U16 is £34 flat fee

Amateur mens - £40 going up to £50 next season I believe.

Club Academy Scotland (pro youth)- £35 flat fee all age groups.

Girls football from U16 up to ladies - £40 flat fee.

I get the impression that I do a lot less travelling up here than some do down South. My longest jaunt has been 40mile round trip.
U14s girls is also £40

club academy also get expenses but only u18s
 
U14s girls is also £40

club academy also get expenses but only u18s
Ah thanks. Didn't realise that. Quite strange that girls football pays a lot more than boys club despite being far easier to officiate. Different governing bodies I guess.
 
Ah thanks. Didn't realise that. Quite strange that girls football pays a lot more than boys club despite being far easier to officiate. Different governing bodies I guess.
Must vary between regions - boys clubs are a flat £40 fee round my way from u13 through to u19. £30 flat fee for AR at Tier 6&7 which you can do after about a year or so after qualifying.
 
Ah thanks. Didn't realise that. Quite strange that girls football pays a lot more than boys club despite being far easier to officiate. Different governing bodies I guess.
I'd imagine a higher fee is to make it more attractive for ref's to turn up? With boys it is almost taken as a given even though Youth football is desperately short of refs. 1-0 to the ladies in my view.
 
I'd imagine a higher fee is to make it more attractive for ref's to turn up? With boys it is almost taken as a given even though Youth football is desperately short of refs. 1-0 to the ladies in my view.
Supposedly, but those just doing it because they see it as easy money give up when they realise it's not quite so easy.
 
For me it’s £20 for U11 to U12, £25 for U13-U14, £30 for U15-U16, £35 for U17-U18. No mileage but theres 3 local junior clubs within a mile of me so its not really an issue.

Maybe at mini soccer until they are 18, but that can have its problems too. It may pay more as a ref but its not easy.
I’ve stuck exclusively to youth football and it is “easy money“ in a sense. I got £80 in one day for two U13 games and one U16 game. I work at St James stadium when I’m up at uni, and would need to work 3 games to get that same amount. I can tell you with certainty 3 games refereeing kids football is much easier than 3 games behind a bar in the stadium.

I get what you’re saying though. Let’s not completely discredit refs by saying it’s easy. I once had an U12 game that was essentially a warzone. On the flip side, I’ve had a few U17 games where I could have reffed it from the clubhouse it was that easy. It’s not easy neccesarily, but as a student it can be an easier way to get money than other options
 
For me it’s £20 for U11 to U12, £25 for U13-U14, £30 for U15-U16, £35 for U17-U18. No mileage but theres 3 local junior clubs within a mile of me so its not really an issue.


I’ve stuck exclusively to youth football and it is “easy money“ in a sense. I got £80 in one day for two U13 games and one U16 game. I work at St James stadium when I’m up at uni, and would need to work 3 games to get that same amount. I can tell you with certainty 3 games refereeing kids football is much easier than 3 games behind a bar in the stadium.

I get what you’re saying though. Let’s not completely discredit refs by saying it’s easy. I once had an U12 game that was essentially a warzone. On the flip side, I’ve had a few U17 games where I could have reffed it from the clubhouse it was that easy. It’s not easy neccesarily, but as a student it can be an easier way to get money than other options
I get what you are saying. Are students queueing up to ref though? We need as many of them as we can get.
 
I get what you are saying. Are students queueing up to ref though? We need as many of them as we can get.
In my county we have trained 300 new referees since August, of whom c.280 are under-18's. By the end of the season the total will be close to 500.
We have around 1350 registered referees in the county, and the newbies will all get games straight away.
 
In my county we have trained 300 new referees since August, of whom c.280 are under-18's. By the end of the season the total will be close to 500.
We have around 1350 registered referees in the county, and the newbies will all get games straight away.
Is your area typical of the country? I ask in all seriousness because I came back into refereeing because a local team told me they rarely get any refs,including at mini soccer.
 
Is your area typical of the country? I ask in all seriousness because I came back into refereeing because a local team told me they rarely get any refs,including at mini soccer.
Numbers are generally going back up again after training courses have recommenced. Having no new referees qualify for two years was always going to cause issues, especially as it came at the same time as other issues.
 
Numbers are generally going back up again after training courses have recommenced. Having no new referees qualify for two years was always going to cause issues, especially as it came at the same time as other issues.
That has a knock on impact because these new refs will likely be given games at a higher standard than they normally would have been, which can often cause problems for them and impact retention rates.
 
That has a knock on impact because these new refs will likely be given games at a higher standard than they normally would have been, which can often cause problems for them and impact retention rates.
Does anyone know what the average retention rate is for new referees
 
Round here it's as follows:

Mid-Somerset League - £30 flat fee. No mileage.

Somerset County League - Premier Division (Step 7) - £30 + 30p per mile travel expenses. (There is no mileage cap that I'm aware of). Divisions 1-3 is a £25 fee + 30p per mile travel.

We don't seem to command the pop star wages down here that some of you lot are on. :rolleyes: :D
 
Round here it's as follows:

Mid-Somerset League - £30 flat fee. No mileage.

Somerset County League - Premier Division (Step 7) - £30 + 30p per mile travel expenses. (There is no mileage cap that I'm aware of). Divisions 1-3 is a £25 fee + 30p per mile travel.

We don't seem to command the pop star wages down here that some of you lot are on. :rolleyes: :D
Unionise!!!!
 
That has a knock on impact because these new refs will likely be given games at a higher standard than they normally would have been, which can often cause problems for them and impact retention rates.
For those aged 14 or 15, the maximum age of players they can referee is laid down, so they get appropriate games.
The post-Covid period has seen some of the more capable referees in open age football being asked to do games which stretch them, producing a make or break situation in some cases.
One of the issues we face is young referees going into mini soccer and staying there rather than moving into youth football - IMHO it's more important to have sufficient referees to cover most Youth League games than having qualified officials on Under-9's. Sometimes it's the referee's comfort zone which inhibits a move to youth football, sadly it is sometimes Appointment Officers encouraging young referees to stay with mini soccer.
We will continue to recruit, train and develop match officials, but as Rusty says we are currently catching up, which will take a few months yet.
 
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