The Ref Stop

Player Behaviour Initiatives

Russell Jones

Russell Jones

RefChat Addict
There's often, with good reason, nervousness and distrust as to whether high profile PGMO led initiatives will in fact 'stick' or whether they will be briefly implemented and then quietly forgotten about.

As such, the now two season long clampdown on Obvious Dissent and Delaying the Restart is an interesting one. When launched, it was not just "referee led" but done so with the backing of all other interested parties. It's also been reinforced to officials on an ongoing basis and credit / debit have been given when the measures have been implemented / ignored. In that context, I was an interested observer of the recent high profile game between Villa and Tottenham. The results were heartening :) .

27th minute - With Spurs two up, Kolo Muani throws a ball onto the pitch in an attempt to delay the taking of a Villa GK .. first YC of the game
73rd minute - Mathys Tel kicks the ball away on halfway, preventing the opportunity for a quick Villa FK. Loud appeals from Villa ... fourth YC of the game
77th minute - On the back of a disputed GK / CK, Morgan Rogers runs toward the referee, arms outstretched, complaining at the outcome ... fifth YC of the game
95th minute - Conor Gallagher makes no effort to retreat from the spot of a Villa FK, delaying it's taking ... seventh YC of the game

Whilst I'm sure that (across the hundred plus pro games played in England each week) there are still many examples of poor behaviour going unpunished, it's clear that, overall, this is an initiative that has made a material difference.

In the interests of balance, I'm concerned and disappointed at the relative lack of implementation of the "Captain's Only" protocol. There's still way too much crowding of referees and I fear this one will fall by the wayside unless given a serious shot in the arm!!
 
The Ref Stop
The 8-second law has been used by every referee I've observed in Steps 3-6, with a remarkably similar view as to the count and the timing.
At Steps 5 and 6, the use of Sin Bins was really encouraging at first, but in 2026 has tailed off (sadly) in the games I have observed.
There is also an acceptance also that players and coaches will use offensive language loudly and go unpunished, something which has slipped gradually over the last three decades. With impressionable youngsters in attendance, that is spreading to youth football and even mini-soccer now, the latter led by some rogue coaches and parents.
I very rarely watch EPL matches (and only on TV, never live) - has the "Captains Only" protocol been signalled and used?
 
ChasObserverRefDeveloper said:
has the "Captains Only" protocol been signalled and used?
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Been to nearly every Ipswich home game this season and all of the games on tv but could honestly count on 1 hand how many times I've seen it implemented when there has definitely been opportunities to do this. I like the idea but its a shame its not very obvious if/when utilised.
 
Sin Bins never worked
They raised the stakes for all concerned
They usually need 'setting up'
They've done little more than distort stats
They arguably represent the most difficult competency there is at Contrib and below. Sin bin hastily and you lose respect, sin bin too late and you've already lost it. The sweat spot is really quite difficult to nail. Sometimes it's on a plate, but not that often
There's a very good reason they're not implemented at higher levels. They don't work and they won't work. They merely exist to give the impression that dissent is being tackled, when it's not... not really
 
The FA's guidance that the Captain's Only Protocol should not use a visible signal has made it really impractical. By the time you've told everyone you'd already be surrounded.
 
Agree dissent and DRP clampdowns seem to be working and continuing. I still think lower down sin bins (as many have said) aren't effective and the captain's only protocol is pointless. I've rarely, if ever, seen it used properly which is defeating the purpose of it.

Edit: to clarify, sin bins can be effective, but many officials don't use them properly so therefore don't see the positives. I've only had to use them a handful of times, and on all but 1 occasion I had no further issues.
 
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socal lurker said:
Did it? There was a reason it was never adopted after trials.
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Gabriel said:
Tbh several othier sports do that and it works there so I think it's more of a culture thing than the protocol not working
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Think it could work but players should have the freedom to move it 10 yards in their direction of choice, or up to 10 yards of their direction of choice.
It got abused as teams would clearly attempt to get ball moved forward if it meant being on edge of area and harder for some kickers who prefer a little more to the left/right or a little slightly further back.
So movement in a direction of choice to benefit the taker would have been preferred.
 
Big Cat said:
Sin Bins never worked
They raised the stakes for all concerned
They usually need 'setting up'
They've done little more than distort stats
They arguably represent the most difficult competency there is at Contrib and below. Sin bin hastily and you lose respect, sin bin too late and you've already lost it. The sweat spot is really quite difficult to nail. Sometimes it's on a plate, but not that often
There's a very good reason they're not implemented at higher levels. They don't work and they won't work. They merely exist to give the impression that dissent is being tackled, when it's not... not really
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I only referee parks fooball admitedly, but
sinbins are great. Instant consequences to dissent and requires zero set up unless you're chasing club marks (which only L4 and above need to worry about) so a minoroty of football matches.

I know a sure fire way to make sure I don't sin bin you "too early".
 
deusex said:
I only referee parks fooball admitedly, but
sinbins are great. Instant consequences to dissent and requires zero set up unless you're chasing club marks (which only L4 and above need to worry about) so a minoroty of football matches.

I know a sure fire way to make sure I don't sin bin you "too early".
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I'm in the camp of sin bins work, I pretty much only referee parks games (and line at step 5/6) and find when I use a sin bin it generally tends to do the job.

Case in point, moany team on Sunday morning adult mens, used the step approach to a degree, and it was low level moaning.

Eventually decided I'd had enough and binned a player right on half time. Didn't have a bin after that, and don't recall the dissent being anywhere near the same as the first half.

Even when they were losing 4/5/6-1 or whatever it was, they ended up losing 7-1.
 
wazztie16 said:
I'm in the camp of sin bins work, I pretty much only referee parks games (and line at step 5/6) and find when I use a sin bin it generally tends to do the job.

Case in point, moany team on Sunday morning adult mens, used the step approach to a degree, and it was low level moaning.

Eventually decided I'd had enough and binned a player right on half time. Didn't have a bin after that, and don't recall the dissent being anywhere near the same as the first half.

Even when they were losing 4/5/6-1 or whatever it was, they ended up losing 7-1.
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They work as far as I am concerned though there definitely has been a drop off of use, especially with L4 Referees, though I don’t know why this would be the case, unless it’s because fines are now attributable. However, like most things there is a skill for their usage - picking the right moments to aide control of the game.
 
Big Cat said:
Sin Bins never worked
They raised the stakes for all concerned
They usually need 'setting up'
They've done little more than distort stats
They arguably represent the most difficult competency there is at Contrib and below. Sin bin hastily and you lose respect, sin bin too late and you've already lost it. The sweat spot is really quite difficult to nail. Sometimes it's on a plate, but not that often
There's a very good reason they're not implemented at higher levels. They don't work and they won't work. They merely exist to give the impression that dissent is being tackled, when it's not... not really
Click to expand...
I completely understand where you're coming from BC, and I do agree with your line that there's a competency issue at play and "Sin bin hastily and you lose respect, sin bin too late and you've already lost it. The sweat spot is really quite difficult to nail."

However, I disagree with you that they don't/never work(ed). I learnt lessons early on in my referee journey about using them too late (Sunday league, tolerating too much small backchat, threatening their use but not following through) and have never used one too early. I feel I've got the balance spot on and looking through my records this year (41 games, majority youth at U16s and U18s with some U14s/U15s and OA peppered in) I've issued three sin-bins, two non-playing cautions for dissent and two OFFINABUS RCs.

There are of course games where their use doesn't work, but that's because of players and coaches, not because they don't work as a matter of principle. The vast majority of time using stepped management, calling the captain in etc they do work, and when you still issue despite best efforts of captain then it's widely accepted.

I'd hate to get rid of them at my level, and ultimately what impacts behaviour at grassroots is a) poor coaching in youth football (eg setting bad examples/tolerating or even encouraging poor behaviour) and b) mirroring behaviour they see on TV. Unless and until the professional game chooses to address player/coach histrionics it will impact the rest of us, but at least sin-bins are a very useful tool to our level imho.
 
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