Recent content by The Gump

Well done on the positive post-match comments. I am officially an older ref as I'm 52, though I'm only in my fifth season as a qualified ref (did a few years as coach/parent volunteer). I stopped doing Sunday League because a) there was always at least one player, on one team, who was a...

It’s a clear and handball outside the box (the D isn’t part of the penalty area - it’s purely a mechanism to keep players 10 yards from a spot kick?) and given without it the player rounds the keeper and would get a shot away at an unguarded goal it’s DOGSO and RC surely? From IFAB...

When you say record, do you mean put through the Referee Portal? If so, every single time. If you get caught not doing so, you’ll likely end up suspended.

This is a good technique to use. Another option in youth football or grassroots generally with no crowd noise is to explain it (either the final decision or warning) loudly enough for spectators and/or coaches and/or other players to hear, though you have to be careful it doesn’t come across as...

All I would say is had it been a defensive player wasting his own team’s time when losing, rather than treating it immediately as delaying the restart of play, you could use this year’s law change requiring a 5 second countdown instead and if they’ve not taken the thrown in reverse it...

I pretty much exclusively do youth football now - inability to go for L5 (new criteria of mentoring in addition to matches in the middle and on the line meant I really couldn't dedicate the time) and otherwise stuck with Sunday league (or Saturday afternoon equivalent) round my way, which I got...

And that's how the throw-in, goal kick laws are framed - as the referee, you decide when the countdown starts. In terms of a GK releasing the ball, it's 8 seconds after the GK is in full control and is unobstructed. They’re laws to be enforced and it’s our role as referees to make sure we do...

Having made my first trip down to St Mary's at the weekend and watched VAR-free football in person for the first time in a while, it's joyful. I think the only purpose VAR is serving now is giving us Sunday referees something to coalesce with coaches and players around!

We have Fast Track in racing and it saves a lot of time and effort for what will likely be the same result.

Her obviously met me before and I just didn’t recognise him!

Tbf, having looked at the table of Fast Track penalties, it’ll be 3 games for OFFINABUS towards an official.

After initially contested the charge, an aborted hearing, and one day before the rearranged hearing, yes.

Never posted this incident at the time as I'd filed an EA and was awaiting outcome. In summary, U15s semi-final. Player X receives a second yellow card late in the game (first one for handbags alongside an opposition player) for calling me a "f***ing joke" after I awarded a penalty against his...

I don't buy the wider conspiracy theory at all but running the highest profile tournament in football with, in effect, it's own bespoke LotG and/or interpretation of the LotG has resulted in the world's very best referees looking incompetent when we all know they're far from it, and will make...

First red card for Argentina in this WC. Somehow.