The Ref Stop

4th match. First 11 a side.

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Forgot the coin, rock paper scissors... a reasonable solution without a coin... you might think... but please be careful, because I know of a referee getting in trouble for doing this previously. It's a simple thing, but the laws of the game says it must be a coin flip.
I don't want to sound overly harsh as it's such a minor matter, but try and avoid having that situation again.

Absolutely agree with the process outlined in the LOTG regarding a coin, and I fully support the referee being disciplined for using rock, paper, scissors in the WNL.

That said, I would argue that when it comes to youth football or Sunday league, we shouldn't get too caught up in the small details. Ideally, you remember your coin for every game, but if you forget it, rock, paper, scissors isn’t going to change the course of the game. I also highly doubt it would lead to suspension (honestly, good luck if anyone from the league even watches you over the course of a season).

At the amateur level, the LOTG often seem a bit more fluid when it comes to promoting participation and ensuring the game gets played—think things like pitch markings, corner flags, matching kit colors, shirt numbers, glasses.)

It would be somewhat contradictory to punish a referee for forgetting a coin when it has minimal impact on the game. If it was seen/reported I would expect a strongly worded email / phone call to make sure it is remembered in future.

(And just to be clear, this isn’t a defense you’d want to use at a disciplinary hearing! 😂 Just my two cents on the matter.)
 
The Ref Stop
Absolutely agree with the process outlined in the LOTG regarding a coin, and I fully support the referee being disciplined for using rock, paper, scissors in the WNL.

That said, I would argue that when it comes to youth football or Sunday league, we shouldn't get too caught up in the small details. Ideally, you remember your coin for every game, but if you forget it, rock, paper, scissors isn’t going to change the course of the game. I also highly doubt it would lead to suspension (honestly, good luck if anyone from the league even watches you over the course of a season).

At the amateur level, the LOTG often seem a bit more fluid when it comes to promoting participation and ensuring the game gets played—think things like pitch markings, corner flags, matching kit colors, shirt numbers, glasses.)

It would be somewhat contradictory to punish a referee for forgetting a coin when it has minimal impact on the game. If it was seen/reported I would expect a strongly worded email / phone call to make sure it is remembered in future.

(And just to be clear, this isn’t a defense you’d want to use at a disciplinary hearing! 😂 Just my two cents on the matter.)
Will slam a coin in my wallet right now.
 
Congrats on your 1st 11 a side game. I only do 11 a side now and find them much easier. Higher level U11's and 12's (prem teams etc) press hard and the pitch is much smaller. This leads to the players coming together more often and temperatures can quickly rise. Full size pitch means these players may not tackle each again for a few minutes, by which time both have calmed down.
Am i right in thinking you asked the lino's to indicate fouls? I would never ask a lino to do this unless it is an appointed, neutral lino.
 
Congrats on your 1st 11 a side game. I only do 11 a side now and find them much easier. Higher level U11's and 12's (prem teams etc) press hard and the pitch is much smaller. This leads to the players coming together more often and temperatures can quickly rise. Full size pitch means these players may not tackle each again for a few minutes, by which time both have calmed down.
Am i right in thinking you asked the lino's to indicate fouls? I would never ask a lino to do this unless it is an appointed, neutral lino.
I wanted the Lino to indicate throw in and blatant offside calls only.

I mean it isn’t difficult to flag for who kicked it out if their back is to me at the time.

Seemed that was far too much to ask.

Admittedly it created me giving the wrong decision as I had waited for a team to just grab and throw in. But no one did. I went with my instincts and was incorrect.

When it hits both players and goes out. You always have to make a decision that will make one team moan.
 
When it hits both players and goes out. You always have to make a decision that will make one team moan.
When you genuinely don't know for sure who touched it last, and the assistant (whether NAR or CAR) doesn't either, two tips that work really well for me (one I just do, one I picked up on here) are:

1. Delay - player reactions can sometimes lead you to the correct call.
2. Choose the least worst option. Eg with ball in attacking third, you've got no idea, CAR/NAR no idea, and the player reactions don't suggest one thing or another, I'd be choosing defensive throw. Same with the choice between a goal kick and corner.
 
When you genuinely don't know for sure who touched it last, and the assistant (whether NAR or CAR) doesn't either, two tips that work really well for me (one I just do, one I picked up on here) are:

1. Delay - player reactions can sometimes lead you to the correct call.
2. Choose the least worst option. Eg with ball in attacking third, you've got no idea, CAR/NAR no idea, and the player reactions don't suggest one thing or another, I'd be choosing defensive throw. Same with the choice between a goal kick and corner.
The delay is super sensible.

I always suggest a little delay. Make up in your head what way you think it is. Confidently wait. Then oozing confidence bang your arm up.
 
If it's a close call as well as to who it touched last before going out of play, a confident shout of "looked like it hit red last from my angle" does the trick for me.

Being close enough to play to be credible helps massively as well.
 
Had an ex premier league referee come out to coach me.

Had ARs also.

Couldn't find my ref bag. So had to secretly borrow cards, spare watch, a whistle and notepad from my assistants.

When I came in at half time an AR moved his towel to uncover my ref bag.
If it's of any consolation, this happened LAST NIGHT at Step 4 😂
 
If you forget the coin.

Decide whether you are going heads or tails, conceal an imaginary coin with one hand cupping the other, tiny peek from you, move hand to pocket, do it really quickly.

“Yes heads, do you want to KO or choose end?”

Confidence & it will work…. 🤣
Saw this done when I was on the line on an FA Vase game earkier this season. Never seen it before and being qualified it was clear what had happened, but the referee had brass balls and so much confidence nobody questioned it. And to everybody else in the world it looked like a standard coin toss.

So I can confirm, this does work.
 
Out of interest, do people catch their coin or let it land on the ground? I used to catch it but was previously advised not to in case I mess the catching of it up, so I started allowing it to land on the ground. On Saturday, on a very muddy pitch my coin stuck in to the ground edge first!
 
Out of interest, do people catch their coin or let it land on the ground? I used to catch it but was previously advised not to in case I mess the catching of it up, so I started allowing it to land on the ground. On Saturday, on a very muddy pitch my coin stuck in to the ground edge first!
Well I don’t think that will happen again with you. Don’t have to flick it very high to toss so not easy to drop from attempting to catch it. Of course, if anyone watches the Big Match Revisited, in yesteryear, most Referees would allow the coin to drop to the floor.
 
Out of interest, do people catch their coin or let it land on the ground? I used to catch it but was previously advised not to in case I mess the catching of it up, so I started allowing it to land on the ground. On Saturday, on a very muddy pitch my coin stuck in to the ground edge first!
Apparently, I'm quite the catch(er). :p
 
I'm a catcher. If I mess it up first time, I just do it again.

I also use a 50p, which seems to make me quite unique, from what I've encountered so far.
 
I forgot a coin over 30 years ago so i gave the captain a choice of red or yellow and out comes the book.

I haven't stopped for 30 years.
 
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